Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. [34]There was no official support for the Biafran Army by any other nation throughout the war, although arms were clandestinely acquired. Lambert Ihenacho, is known as a brilliant and resourceful officer in the Nigerian Army. It also had 2 separate brigades, the S Brigade, a Pretorian guard for General Ojukwu,[5] and the 4th Commando Brigade (trained and commanded by mercenaries). Causes included battlefield deaths, ethnic cleansing, and starvation. Biafra over the years has represented the nationalist aspirations of the Igbo people whose leadership felt they could no longer co-exist with the Northern-dominated federal government. It also had 2 separate brigades, the S Brigade, a Pretorian guard for General Ojukwu,[6] and the 4th Commando Brigade (trained and commanded by mercenaries). Nigerians in Lagos react to news of the Biafrian surrender following the announcement of a ceasefire on January 12, 1970. Some Europeans served the Biafran cause: German born Rolf Steiner was a lieutenant colonel assigned to the 4th Commando Brigade, and Welshman Taffy Williams served as a Major throughout the conflict. Bala Mohammed, a former soldier who fought against Biafra for the Nigerian army. Many others have been injured and/or arrested. In May 1969, commandos of the Biafran army captured oil wells in Kwale. His death was confirmed by his. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the President, of Igbo extraction, and the favored Western Region politicianObafemi Awolowowere not killed. Federal soldiers were advancing in full force and something had to be done. However, it is a period Okororie says she can never forget. The Biafran War began in July 1966, and ended in 1970 after more than a million people had been killed, mostly from starvation. Copyright 2020. [2] No official support for the Biafran Army came from any other nation, although arms were clandestinely acquired. Its territory consisted of theEastern RegionofNigeria. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much [65]A report byAmnesty Internationalbetween August2015 and August2016, at least 150 pro-Biafran activists overall were killed by Nigerian security forces, with 60 people shot in a period of two days in connection with events marking Biafran Remembrance Day. They feel aggrieved that the Nigerian government has not adequately addressed the civil war and its aftermath. After his release in 1967, he was asked to go into battle on the side of the Biafrans where he was promoted to the rank of a Biafran Lt.colonel but he got killed in an ambush. Needless to say that never happened. He was 90 years old. Violence spread throughout the country and some began to flee the North and West, some toDahomey. During the war, the Biafran government reported that Nigeria was using hunger as a weapon to win, and sought aid from the outside world. This administration of the Nigerian federal government was widely perceived to be corrupt. He attended Government College Umuahia from 1949 to 1955 and was in Nile and Simpson houses respectively. Muslim officers named a General from a small ethnic group (the Angas) in central Nigeria, General Yakubu "Jack" Gowon, as the head of the Federal Military Government (FMG). [1], At the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War, Biafra had 3,000 soldiers. In the first year of the war, the Nigerian government captured the coastal city of Port Harcourt and imposed a blockade, which cut food supplies to Biafra. The Nigerian Civil War (6 July 1967 - 15 January 1970), also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War or the Biafran War, was a civil war fought between Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra, a secessionist state which had declared its independence from Nigeria in 1967. Initially, Eze was Commander of 52 Brigade of Biafran Army with its headquarters in Calabar and responsible for the defence of the 75 miles of coastline between Ikang on the Cameroun boarder. Military of the former Nigerian secessionist state, Weapons and equipment used by Army and militias, "The Last Adventurer" by Steiner, Rolf (Boston:, Little, Brown 1978), "We are taking over Biafran territories starting from Anambra on May 30 BNG claims", "The Douglas A/B-26 Invader - Biafran Invaders", "All-Time Aircraft Used Listing | Biafran Air Force", Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy, "The military rifle cartridges of Nigeria", Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Biafran_Armed_Forces&oldid=1140260283, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 19 February 2023, at 07:08. Like her, Eyiche Adizua, a former technician, fled to Oguta during the civil war. These events sparked the decision to secede, spearheaded by Ojukwu, who was then the military governor of the Eastern Region. A group of emaciated children photographed in 1970. Westerners especially resented the political domination of the Northern Peoples Congress, many of whose candidates ran unopposed in the election. After running into unexpected resistance and facing many casualties, the right Nigerian column advanced to Nsukka, which was captured on the 14th of July. Hunger killed more Biafrans than bullets and bombs. The two coups deepened Nigerias ethnic tensions. The territory of the Republic of Biafra is covered nowadays by the reorganizedNigerian statesofCross River,Ebonyi,Enugu,Anambra,Imo,Bayelsa,Rivers,Abia, andAkwa Ibom. Because of the lack of official support, the Biafrans manufactured many of their weapons locally. He rose to the rank of Brigadier General in the Nigerian Army and he retired in the mid-1990s. 2, Coscharis Street, Kirikiri industrial Layout, Apapa, Lagos. Weapons and equipment used by Army and militias. In July 1966 northern officers staged a countercoup, Aguiyi-Ironsi was assassinated, and Lieut. Some of the positions he held in the Biafran Army include administrative officer, Biafran Army Headquarters and Commander, 11th and 13th Divisions of the Biafran Army, as well as the guerrilla commando unit. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. In January 1966, some senior Nigerian army officers, mostly of the Igbo ethnic group, assassinated key politicians during a coup in the West African state. The commander of the army,General Aguiyi Ironsiseized power to maintain order. [53], In July 2006 theCenter for World Indigenous Studiesreported that government-sanctioned killings were taking place in the southeastern city ofOnitsha, because of a shoot-to-kill policy directed toward Biafrans, particularly members of the MASSOB. 2. Colonel Odumegwu-Ojukwu declared Eastern Nigeria a sovereign state to be known as BIAFRA after the Nigerian military leadership peace conference hosted by General Joseph Ankrah in January, 1967, in Aburi, Ghana. It is probably for this reason that the war is barely mentioned. For the next 30 months, he headed the Research and Production (RAP) group comprising Igbo scientists from various fields. We completely cleared Ikot Ekpene and up to a minimum radius of six miles.. Nigerian troops enter Port Harcourt after taking it from Biafrian forces in 1968. Biafran Air Force commanders were Chude Sokey and later Godwin Ezeilo,[10] who had trained with the Royal Canadian Air Force. The southern population is predominantlyChristian, being primarily made up of territory of the indigenousYorubaand Biafra kingdoms in the West and East respectively. [6], The Biafrans set up a small, yet effective air force. [9] In an Intersociety study, it was found that Nigerian security forces also extorted approximately $100 million per year from illegal roadblocks and other methods from Igboland a cultural sub-region of Biafra in what is now southern Nigeria, causing greater mistrust of the Igbo citizenry towards the Nigerian security forces. Widespread reports of fraud tarnished the elections legitimacy. Initially, Eze was Commander of 52 Brigade of Biafran Army with its headquarters in Calabar and responsible for the defence of the 75 miles of coastline between Ikang on the Cameroun boarder and Opobo on the Imo river basin. She enjoyed working directly with the Biafran leader, whom she and her colleagues fondly referred to as "Brother OJ". [32] The new currency went public on 28 January 1968, and the Nigerian pound was not accepted as an exchange unit. He died in November 2011 and was given a full military burial in a ceremony attended by then Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, some other African leaders and members of the diplomatic corps. Ojukwu fled to Cte dIvoire on January 11, 1970, and a Biafran deputation formally surrendered in Lagos four days later. Nigerian leader Maj. Gen. Yakubu Gowon accepted the Biafran surrender and asked all Nigerians to greet the former rebels as brothers. Nigerias new head of state, Brig. You must clear the enemy from Obinze in 24 hours or submit your resignation from the army.". With the Nigerians forces gaining the upper hand in Calabar, Nsukka and later Onitsha sectors where he operated at different, times, he was branded a saboteur by the civilian populace, just like some senior officers in Biafra. The Biafran Navy was made up of captured craft, converted tugs, and armored civilian vessels armed with machine guns, or captured 6-pounder guns. Mr Ago looked forward to these visits, and joined the crowd who gathered at the university's Freedom Square. The scientist's wartime accomplishments had caught the attention of the Nigerian authorities and he was invited by the government to pioneer a special science and technology programme for the country. The Biafran Navy was made up of captured craft, converted tugs, and armored civilian vessels armed with machine guns, or captured 6-pounder guns. The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Biafran War, July 6, 1967 - January 13, . Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? Eze was recalled to field operations when the situation in the war front was becoming hopeless and propaganda alone could not win the war. The meeting did not end. [7] Its early inventory included two B-25 Mitchells, two B-26 Invaders, (one piloted by Polish World War II ace Jan Zumbach, known also as John Brown),[8] a converted DC-3 and one Dove. From: 56 Brigade. On May 30, 1967, Ojukwu declared the secession of the three states of the Eastern region under the name of the Republic of Biafra, which Nigerias federal government interpreted as an act of rebellion. Commissioned officer ranks [ edit ] The rank insignia of commissioned officers . Although quite a number of Nigerian Army officers left to support the Eastern Nigeria but shortly after the war they returned to the federal troops. Two Fouga Magisters and several Gloster Meteors were bought but never arrived in Biafra, being abandoned on foreign African airbases. Nigeria led multiple. In the letter Ojukwu states: "Your role in the Port Harcourt disaster is still fresh in the minds of people. We were not. [14] People in the region have described Biafra as the land directly adjacent to the Bight of Biafra and also an indigenous state, existing before European colonialism created such entities as Nigeria. Col. (later Gen.) Yakubu Gowon came to power. To: Tactical Army Headquarters. [57], MASSOB leader Chief Ralph Uwazuruike establishedRadio Biafrain theUnited Kingdomin 2009, withNnamdi Kanuas his radio director; later Kanu was said to have been dismissed from MASSOB because of accusations of supporting violence. Despite his breakaway action, Ojukwu was accorded the highest military accolade and a funeral parade in Abuja. If he had slowed down and allowed some people who were with him to advise him properly, we would have come out better than we did.". Protests were held around the world and Bruce Mayrock, a student at Columbia University, set himself on fire at the United Nations headquarters in New York to protest the war in Biafra. Fighting broke out in early July. The government's policy of "no victor, no vanquished" may have led to a lack of official reflection, but many Nigerians of Igbo origin grew up on stories from people who lived through the war. Here are list of Nigerian soldiers that pulled out to support Ojukwu's breakaway. Col. (later Gen.) Odumegwu Ojukwu, agreed to meet the others on neutral ground at Aburi, Ghana. [52], On 29 May 2000, the Lagos Guardian newspaper reported that the now ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo commuted to the retirement of the dismissal of all military persons, soldiers and officers, who fought for the breakaway Republic of Biafra during Nigerias 19671970 civil war. Soon afterwards, the Biafran battalion captured Umuabayi, together with the enemy ammunition and food dump located there. Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, became head of the government. In August 1967 Biafran troops crossed the Niger, seized Benin City, and were well on their way to Lagos before they were checked at Ore, a small town in Western state (now Ondo state). Colonel Chris Ugokwe commanded the Biafran 52 Brigade which was stationed in the Owerri sector. [27] Biafra was ill-equipped for war, with fewer army personnel and less equipment than the Nigerian military, but had advantages over the Nigerian state as they were fighting in their homeland and had the support of most Biafrans. It mainly operated in the Niger Delta and along the Niger River.[10]. Almost from all angles, the enemy was on the run after a short-lived resistance. ", Felix Nwankwo Oragwu and others helped develop some of the weapons that Biafran soldiers used, "You were forced to fraternise with your people more than any time before", The plight of Biafrans gained support among activists around the world, including in London, where this protest was held in 1968, Ojukwu was given a full Nigerian military burial in March 2012, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Okororie wasnt affected by the monetary policy as she had taken out all her money from the bank at the start of the war and, thus, had Nigerian pounds to convert to the new Nigerian currency, the naira. Being from the eastern part of the country, Adizua says the soldiers on the Nigerian side questioned his flatmates, suspicious he was providing information to Biafran soldiers in the east. Biafra was short on ammunition, its people were desperate for food, and its leaders controlled only one-sixth of the territory that had formed the Biafran republic in 1967. "Somewhere in the middle of the war," he said, "the Biafrans made some dramatic successes that gave us hope that we might hold the Nigerians until at least some help from outside came.". [23], In January1967, the military leaders Gowon,Chukwuemeka Ojukwuand senior police officials of each region met inAburi, Ghana and agreed on a less centralized union of regions. May Ezes soul rest in peace. He spiked everybody up and we formed songs and were singing and enjoying ourselves.". One united Nigeria is better.. A young officer orders an attack during the Biafra conflict in Nigeria in 1969. The leaders of Biafran National Guard, (BNG), invites any and all Biafran Veteran United States Military officers and members who had served in any capacity within the United States Military, professional retired law enforcement officers; as well as retired seasoned armed security service officers; who are from Biafran Origin (South Eastern . He was an ambitious young military officer but this rebellious attitude led to his arrest after a failed plotted coup. Okororie said she sold food and other household items during the war in exchange for Nigerian pounds, which she then used to buy cigarettes, potash, salt, and marijuana since Biafran currency was not recognized beyond its borders. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Okororie says she abandoned her clothing business in Port-Harcourt city, where she resided before the start of the war and fled with her seven children to Oguta as Nigerian soldiers advanced on the city in the Biafran territory. . Its coast was on theGulf of Guineaof theSouth Atlantic Oceanin the south. Fifty years after the Biafran conflict, Nigeria is still battling to maintain its unity, with various groups, not just the Igbo, calling for the restructuring of Africa's most populous state. The final Biafran collapse began on December 24, 1969, when federal troops launched a significant offensive. It mainly operated in the Niger Delta and along the Niger River.[14]. Ojukwu says in the letter: "Your role in the . At the outbreak of hostilities in July 1967 that marked the beginning of the Nigerian Biafran war, Aghanya was commissioned into the Biafran Army with the rank of Colonel and appointed Commanding Officer of the 44th Electrical and Mechanical Engineer Battalion Biafran Army by the then Chief of Staff Biafran Army, Brigadier Hillary Njoku. But at some point, the Nigerian army invaded Oguta, leading a blockade and preventing relief materials from getting into Biafra, and as a result, hundreds of people died of starvation. [32] The first issue of the bank notes included only 5 shillings notes and 1 pound notes. This became law in the Abandoned Properties Act (28 September 1979). appreciated. Soldiers burnt houses and killed civilians the lake was filled with dead bodies, including those of white mercenaries, Adizua said. They were painted in green camouflage and armed with two Matra Type122 rocket pods, each being able to carry six 68mm SNEB anti-armour rockets under each wing and had SwedishWW2reflex sights from oldFFVS J 22s. As a Biafran Army is was a Major and he commanded Biafran 11th division,11 battalion and Biafran S division respectively. She was teaching English and French in a secondary school in Port Harcourt in southern Nigeria when the civil war began. After he was officially pardoned by the Nigerian government, he returned in 1982, with multitudes pouring onto the streets of his home state of Anambra to welcome him. Biafran conflict: A grandmother's perspective on the war. January 15, 1966: A group of army majors, led by Kaduna Nzeogwu and Emmanuel Ifeajuna, execute Nigeria's first military coup which ended the First Republic. Ogbugo Kalu, a retired military officer who passed away in February 2004, served in both the Nigerian Army and the Biafran Army. [a] Biafra received aid from non-state actors, including Joint Church Aid, Holy Ghost Fathers of Ireland,[2] and under their direction Caritas International,[3] and U.S. Catholic Relief Services. Madiebo reports that the second diversionary offensive planned by Eze was equally successful. ", Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, pictured here in June 1968, was a charismatic figure, Nigerian troops seen in one of Biafra's main cities, Port Harcourt, in 1968 after fierce fighting, Hunger caused the deaths of many people during the conflict, When the war started, there was not a single weapon anywhere throughout Biafra. Finally, members of Biafran National Guard, (BNG), were mostly comprised of United States Citizens, prior military Veterans, who had once sworn to protect and defend the United States of America, (meaning that we prior Military Veterans, and professional retired law enforcement officers had already volunteered to fight for any cause involving . However,Englishwas used as theofficial language. Powered & Managed by Portia Web Solution. He promised to consider the matter, and the Italians were subsequently released. Now in his 80s, he says the war was a harrowing experience, and should never be repeated. Beatles singer John Lennon returned his MBE in a protest over Britains foreign policy, which included Biafra and the Vietnam war. Read about our approach to external linking. In 1967, following two coups and turmoil which led to about a million Igbos returning to the south-east of Nigeria, the Republic of Biafra seceded with 33-year-old military officer Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu at the helm. No gun, no bomb, no nothing. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was its first federal prime ministerhe had held that position since 1957and Nnamdi Azikiwe became its president of the Senate, which was a largely ceremonial role. She says they walked all day and survived only on achara, a vegetable similar to a leek, until they got to their destination. "The Nigerians who were pursuing us were trained soldiers. It was headquartered in Kidney Island, Port Harcourt, and was commanded by Winifred Anuku. [1], At the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War, Biafra had 3,000 soldiers. The next two years were marked by stiff resistance in the shrinking Biafran enclave and by heavy casualties among civilians as well as in both armies, all set within what threatened to be a military stalemate. He retired as a Lt Col in the Nigerian Army around 1985 and later became chairman of the National Population Commission, Abuja. They were coloured green, were able to carry six 68mm anti-armour rockets under each wing using simple sights. End of the Nigerian civil war with Biafra. Police and Army units from Kaduna had to be brought in to restore order. [54][55], The Nigerian federal government accuses MASSOB of violence; MASSOBs leader, Ralph Uwazuruike, was arrested in 2005 and was detained on treason charges. "I didn't want anybody to disgrace him.". Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu died in the United Kingdom, according to Nigeria's president. MEDICAL CONSULTANTS REVEALED HOW MEN CAN NATURALLY AND PERMANENTLY CURE QUICK ERECTION, SMALL MANHOOD, AND INFERTILITY ISSUES WITHOUT SIDE EFFECTS CLICK HERE. "Without us, the war would have lasted only about 30 hours," said the 85-year-old. The point of no return was reached in January 1966, when, after the collapse of order in the west following the fraudulent election of October 1965, a group of army officers attempted to overthrow the federal government, and Balewa and two of the regional premiers were murdered. "I think we would have done better if we had handled it with a little bit more intelligence," said Mr Ago. He also remembers the last year of the war when his unit was continuously on the move, fleeing the advancing Nigerian army. War exposure of mothers (but not fathers) has adverse impacts on child growth, survival, and education. He also saw action in the Port Harcourt sector and ultimately rose to the rank of Colonel in the Nigerian Army, he retired in the 1980s. Biafra also received aid from international organizations for its population, which was suffering from starvation. We were being shelled from everywhere, she said, recalling the day Nigerian combatants reached the city. At the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War, Biafra had 3,000 soldiers. [49]It has two arms of government, the BiafraGovernment in Exileand the Biafra Shadow Government. VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line, Why an Indian comedian is challenging fake news rules. [36], The Biafrans managed to set up a small yet effective air force. Conflicts were endemic, as regional leaders protected their privileges; the south complained of northern domination, and the north feared that the southern elite was bent on capturing power. Colonel Godfrey Nebo was an exceptionally tenacious commander. Ojukwu, the son of a wealthy businessman, studied history at Oxford University. In July 1966 northern officers and army units staged a coup. While the UK backed Nigeria, France was the most prominent supporter of Biafra. He released on bail on 24April 2017 after spending more than 19months without trial of his treason charges. It was said to be the worlds first televised war and the haunting images of starving children caught in a civil war shocked the world. I told them I wont work in Lagos, so they posted me to Oji River [in Enugu].. [41], Biafra also had a small improvised navy, but it never gained the success that their air force did. PRELUDE For mother and child health, the largest impacts stem from adolescent exposure.[47], TheMovement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra(MASSOB) emerged in 1999 as a nonviolent and Biafran nationalist group, associated withIgbo nationalism. Corrections? Nzeogwus Hausa colleagues in the Nigerian Army gave him the name Kaduna because of his love with the town. Ms Nwanunobi joined the Biafran ministry of foreign affairs as part of a handful of translators who worked directly with Ojukwu. We were drafted into the war, given two days' training. He was detained by Ojukwu until the end of the war following the fall of Uyo in 1968. [11] Its early inventory included two B-25 Mitchells, two B-26 Invaders, (one piloted by Polish World War II ace Jan Zumbach, known also as John Brown),[12] a converted DC-3 and one Dove. I was bringing salt to Oguta, she recalled, and selling weed.. camelia staicu moceanu, some signs of teacher favoritism,