Nigeria, May 21 -- Nigeria's former military Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, has revealed how arms and ammunition were allegedly smuggled from some foreign countries into the Eastern Region in preparation for the civil war fought for 30 months.

Mr Gowon, who ruled Nigeria between 1966 and 1975, said the war, in which millions of people reportedly died, could have been avoided if the then leader of the Eastern Region, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, had adhered to agreements reached during the Aburi meeting held in Ghana on 4 and 5 January 1967.

The former Nigerian leader gave the account in his autobiography, "My Life of Duty and Allegiance," launched in Abuja on Tuesday.

The event, chaired by former President Goodluck Jonathan, was attended...