[1] History [ edit] Disabled Biafran war veterans in 2017. 6:08 AM EST, Thu January 16, 2020. We were not. 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). 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. Europeans served in the Biafran cause; German-bornRolf Steinerwas a lieutenant colonel assigned to the 4thCommando Brigade and WelshmanTaffy Williamsserved as a Major until the very end of the conflict. [62][63]Self-determination is not a crime in Nigerian law. Nigerians in Lagos react to news of the Biafrian surrender following the announcement of a ceasefire on January 12, 1970. I wont subscribe to war today, because I saw war, he said. This was because troops of 62 Brigade who were to clear the right half of the town, were yet to arrive. These doctors, led by Kouchner, concluded that a new aid organisation was needed that would ignore political/religious boundaries and prioritise the welfare of victims. Owerri is now captured. After Nigeria announced its currency would no longer be legal tender (to make way for a new currency), this effort increased. In Nigeria and its surrounding region, long-standing regional stressesethnic competitiveness, educational inequality, and economic imbalance being the most prominentagain came to the fore in a controversial census during 196263. The Biafran Navy was made up of captured craft, converted tugs, and armor-reinforced civilian vessels armed with machine guns or captured6-pounder guns. 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. This he did from January 1957 to December 1958 when he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army. Westerners especially resented the political domination of the Northern Peoples Congress, many of whose candidates ran unopposed in the election. Officials from different European countries travelled to meet Ojukwu to appeal for their release. Before the war broke out, Adizua lived in Lagos, Nigerias commercial center with his family. 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. French doctorBernard Kouchneralso witnessed these events, particularly the huge number of starving children, and, when he returned toFrance, he publicly criticised the Nigerian government and theRed Crossfor their seemingly complicit behaviour. Biafran.org | "Land of Freedom - Because of the Braves" The two-month period of the Nigerian civil war from August 9 to October 8th 1967 represent the entry and exit dates of Biafran forces from the Midwest. He retired as a full Colonel of the Nigerian Army in the 1980s. A Warner Bros. After the announcement, tons of Nigerian banknotes were transported in an effort to acquire foreign exchange. While the Igbo people of the current Nigerian state ofDeltawere not included in Biafra as per Ojukwus decree founding Biafra, Igbos in Delta (Anioma) did fight on the Biafran side. You are already subscribed to our newsletter! The currency of Biafra had been the Nigerian pound until the Bank of Biafra started printing out its own notes, the Biafran pound. In 2009, MASSOB leader Chief Uwazuruike launched an unrecognized Biafran International Passport and also launched a Biafra Plate Number in 2016 in response to persistent demand by some Biafran sympathizers in the diaspora and at home. [31]Along with Igbo, there were a variety of other minority languages, includingEfik,Ogoni,Ijaw,Annang,Ibibio,Idoma,Igala, and others. The coup eventually took place in July, 1966. Biafran Air Force commanders were Chude Sokey and later Godwin Ezeilo,[10] who had trained with the Royal Canadian Air Force. [42]During the crisis,Frenchmedical volunteers, in addition to Biafran health workers and hospitals, were subjected to attacks by the Nigerian army and witnessed civilians being murdered and starved by the blockading forces. These aircraft flew missions until January 1970 manned by Portuguese ex-military pilots. With the help of other French doctors, Kouchner put Biafra in the media spotlight and called for an international response to the situation. Updated Other ethnic groups included theEfik,Ibibio,Annang,Ejagham,Eket,Ibeno,Yako,Bahumonoand theIjaw. As with many other new African states, the borders of the country did not reflect earlier ethnic, cultural, religious, or political boundaries. It is probably for this reason that the war is barely mentioned. Updates? 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. Its primary responsibility was to provide technological support to the Biafran army, which was poorly equipped. Aba falls on September 1 and Okigwe freed on . In the letter Ojukwu states: "Your role in the Port Harcourt disaster is still fresh in the minds of people. [66]The Nigerian military killed at least 17unarmed Biafrans in the city ofOnitshaprior to a march on 30May 2016 commemorating the 49th anniversary of Biafras 1967 declaration of independence. Oguta town served as Biafra's major supply line for arms and relief material during the war. Colonel Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, the military governor of Eastern Nigeria during the Ironsi regime, became the Head of State of the Republic of Biafra and began establishing the infrastructure of a sovereign nation, including the minting of currency and establishing diplomatic relations with other nations. The shortage of experienced officers was a major problem for the Biafran Army, made worse by a climate of paranoia and suspicion within as Ojukwu believed that other former Federal officers were plotting against him. [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. She enjoyed working directly with the Biafran leader, whom she and her colleagues fondly referred to as "Brother OJ". "No Victor and No Vanquished" - Fifty Years after the Biafran War By October1967, the FMG had regained the land after intense fighting. The next day, two federal army officers were publicly executed for killing four Igbo civilians in Benin. At the beginning of the war Biafra had 3,000soldiers, but at the end of the war, the soldiers totalled 30,000. These events sparked the decision to secede, spearheaded by Ojukwu, who was then the military governor of the Eastern Region. We completely cleared Ikot Ekpene and up to a minimum radius of six miles.. The oil boom that followed the war allowed the federal government to finance development programs and consolidate its power. Her worry lifted when she learned that her boss had escaped in his private jet, and was granted asylum by Ivory Coast, a francophone country. Timeline: Biafra War In Key Dates - Channels Television In July 1969, Biafra launched an air . Emeritus Lecturer in the Modern History of Africa, University of Oxford; Emeritus Fellow of St. Antony's College, Oxford. 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 . "Once his helicopter touched down, everybody went there and, practically, school shut down. The rank insignia of commissioned officers. [6] After the surrender of Biafra, some Igbos who had fled the conflict returned to their properties but were unable to claim them back from new occupants. He plotted the successful offensive to clear Ikot Ekpene of Nigerian Forces. But English was more widely spoken in Biafra, so translators were needed whenever French officials visited Ojukwu. By early 1969, Biafra had assembled fiveMFI-9Bsin neighbouringGabon, calling them the Biafra Babies. Biafra also received aid from international organizations for its population, which was suffering from starvation. [28], The FMG attacked Biafra on 6July 1967. On 15 January 1970, the conflict officially ended. [9]In 1953 a similar riot occurred inKanolater. Mr Oragwu wishes that the Igbo had paid less attention to the scramble for power at the centre, and instead distinguished their region by advancing the technological gains of the war. Ojukwu who was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Nigerian Army then became the General of the Biafran army. Did you encounter any technical issues? This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. After two-and-a-half years of war, during which almost two million Biafran civilians (34 of them small children) died from starvation caused by the total blockade of the region by the Nigerian government,[5] Biafran forces under Nigerias motto of No-victor, No-vanquished surrendered to the Nigerian Federal Military Government (FMG). The crisis was compounded by intercommunal clashes in the north and threats of secession in the south. The countrys northeast bordered theBenue Hillsand mountains that lead to Cameroon. Gen. Murtala Ramat Mohammed, initiated many changes during his brief time in office: he began the process of moving the federal capital to Abuja, addressed the issue of government inefficiency, and initiated the process for a return to civilian control. [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. This exceptionally good Biafran Battalion was under the command of Major Archibong, one of the bravest officers I ever met. During an enemy counter attack at Umuabayi, our troops destroyed a Saladine and an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC). Colonel Godfrey Nebo was an exceptionally tenacious commander. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? We who are about to die, salute you. but at the end of the war, the soldiers totalled 30,000. MEDICAL CONSULTANTS REVEALED HOW MEN CAN NATURALLY AND PERMANENTLY CURE QUICK ERECTION, SMALL MANHOOD, AND INFERTILITY ISSUES WITHOUT SIDE EFFECTS CLICK HERE. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Ojukwu flees his enclave. Photographs of the military Obasanjo, Jallo, Bissalo, Gowon. Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, Explosion derails train in Russian border region, Banana artwork in Seoul museum eaten by visitor, Trump says 'great to be home' on visit to Scotland, NFL player's daughter, aged two, drowns in pool, JP Morgan snaps up troubled US bank First Republic, Father tells how gunman opened fire on Texas home, Indian 'killer' elephant relocated to tiger reserve. Soldiers burnt houses and killed civilians the lake was filled with dead bodies, including those of white mercenaries, Adizua said. Wounded Biafran soldiers are transported across a river in June 1968. A last-ditch effort to save the country was made in January 1967, when the Eastern delegation, led by Lieut. Nigeria History: The Biafra Midwest Invasion of 1967 - NewsRescue The predominant language of Biafra wasIgbo. [19]In January1966, the situation reached a breaking point. Hunger killed more Biafrans than bullets and bombs. Two Fouga Magisters and several Gloster Meteors were bought but never arrived in Biafra, being abandoned on foreign African airbases. The Military ranks of Biafra were the military insignia used by the Biafran Armed Forces between 1967 and 1970, when Biafra was defeated in the Nigerian Civil War. 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 remembers the overpowering hunger that often forced Biafran soldiers to catch and eat mice. The operation was aimed at pushing the enemy at Nkwok as far back towards Opobo as possible and also threaten or take Opobo if possible. [1], At the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War, Biafra had 3,000 soldiers. The territory of the Republic of Biafra is covered nowadays by the reorganizedNigerian statesofCross River,Ebonyi,Enugu,Anambra,Imo,Bayelsa,Rivers,Abia, andAkwa Ibom. He was an ambitious young military officer but this rebellious attitude led to his arrest after a failed plotted coup. They only had knives and cutlasses. By way of background information, let me add that Government College, Umuahia by 1966 had produced thirteen mid-level and Senior Officers in the Nigerian Armed Forces. The federal government, dominated by Northern Nigeria, allowed the crisis to unfold with the intention of declaring a state of emergency and placing the Western Region under martial law. She was teaching English and French in a secondary school in Port Harcourt in southern Nigeria when the civil war began. In the latter stages, a Southern FMG offensive managed to break through the fierce resistance.[23]. The southern population is predominantlyChristian, being primarily made up of territory of the indigenousYorubaand Biafra kingdoms in the West and East respectively. My mother died with three of my children, two boys, and a girl, she told CNN. . 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. Prior to being a Biafran Army in May, 1967, Achuzie had been a soldier in the Nigerian Army. Ethnic tension had simmered in Nigeria during discussions of independence, but in the mid-twentieth century, ethnic and religious riots began to occur. A starving Biafran family during the famine resulting from the Biafran War. The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Biafran War or the Nigerian-Biafran War, broke out between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the secessionist state of Biafra from July 6 1967 to January 15 1970. The civil war in Oguta and other areas in Biafra was life-changing. In September 1966,approximately 30,000 Igbo were killed in the north, and some Northerners were killed in backlashes in eastern cities. Pregnant women were left behind by their husbands as they gave birth, she added. Nigerians in the capital city of Lagos cheer the surrender of the Biafran forces on January 12, 1970. Nigerian Civil War - Wikipedia [3] A special guerrilla unit, the Biafran Organization of Freedom Fighters, was established: designed to emulate the Viet Cong, they targeted Nigerian supply lines, forcing them to shift resources to internal security efforts. The first operation under a gallant Biafran Officer, Nweke, had troops crossing into Umuabayi from Akwete. Amilitary coup occurredduring which a mixed but predominantly Igbo group of army officers assassinated 30political leaders, including Nigerias Prime Minister, SirAbubakar Tafawa Balewa, and the Northern premier, SirAhmadu Bello. . "When the war started, there was not a single weapon either in a store or anywhere throughout Biafra. Bala Mohammed, a former soldier who fought against Biafra for the Nigerian army. Nigerian Civil War | Description, Causes, Deaths, & Facts Ojukwu declared independence for the Republic of Biafra in 1966 following a spate of violence that occurred in the north of Nigeria against Igbo people. An early institution created by the Biafran government was the Bank of Biafra, accomplished under Decree No. 1966, led by Igbo junior Army officers, mostly majors and captains. Nigeria: A veteran of war and of international humanitarian law War exposure of mothers (but not fathers) has adverse impacts on child growth, survival, and education. The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel. 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. [16][23][25] It is believed this was one of the major factors that sparked the war. [8] Federal projects in Biafra were also greatly reduced compared to other parts of Nigeria. Nigeria became an independent country on October 1, 1960. On October 1, 1963, Nigeria became a republic, with Azikiwe as its president, although, as prime minister, Balewa remained more politically powerful. In February 1956, he joined the Officer Cadet Training at R.O.S.T.S., Teshie, Accra, Ghana till September 1956. Col. (later Gen.) Yakubu Gowon came to power. Within weeks the conflict had escalated into a full-scale civil war. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. This number grew as the war progressed, ultimately reaching 30,000. Three of those who were involved in the secessionist campaign have been sharing their memories. "The war was an incredible period," said 82-year-old Mrs Nwanunobi. What God wills is what happens.. The Nigerian Civil War: Why and How It Happened (1967-1970) Nzeogwus Hausa colleagues in the Nigerian Army gave him the name Kaduna because of his love with the town. The Bank of Nigeria exchanged only 30 pounds for an individual and 300 pounds for enterprises in the second half of 1968. "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.". [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. The Nigerian Civil War (1967- 1970), was an ethnic and political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the South-eastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed republic of Biafra. [44], In 2010, researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the University of Nigeria at Nsukka showed that Igbos born in Biafra during the years of the famine were of higher risk of suffering from obesity, hypertension and impaired glucose metabolism compared to controls born a short period after the famine had ended in the early 1970s. Mr Ago left the army and went in search of his family, whom he had not heard from in more than two years. Gowons attempt to hold a conference to settle the constitutional future of Nigeria was abandoned after a series of ethnic massacres in October 1966. It was headquartered in Kidney Island, Port Harcourt, and was commanded by Winifred Anuku. As we ponder the suggestion to set up "regional armies", there are lessons from that campaign that need emphasis if we are to learn from history and avoid repeating its mistakes. [4], At the peak of Biafran military power, the Biafran Army was made of 5 divisions; numbered 11th, 12th, 13th (later renumbered 15th), 14th and 101st. 19-06-2014 Interview. Military ranks of Biafra - Wikipedia 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. Refugees flee the fighting in July 1968. 10 Soldiers Who Pulled Out From The Federal Army To Fight For Biafra "He had this incredible sense of humour. Major-General Hassan Umaru, a Nigerian Army officer, said that the army "would like to send an unequivocal warning to all those threatening and agitating for the dismemberment of the country . A soldier in the ruins of the Onitsha market after it was gutted during fighting in the city on July 16, 1968. I wasnt angry towards the Nigerian soldiers. Nigeria's main reason for going to war was to counter the secession of the Eastern Region (Biafra) from the Republic of Nigeria. It was during one of Okorories trips to the market that her brothers house was bombed. Nigerian Civil War, also called Nigerian-Biafran War, war between Nigeria 's federal government and the secessionist state Biafra that lasted from 1967 to 1970. The findings are in line with the developmental origin of health and disease hypothesis suggesting that malnutrition in early life is a predisposing factor for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes later in life. 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. [15], Events leading to war Info: Defence Headquarters, Commander-in-Chief. Its territory consisted of theEastern RegionofNigeria. We intend to stay on and make the supreme sacrifice. 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. He was assassinated in February 1976 during an unsuccessful coup attempt, and his top aide, Lieut. Nigerias initial efforts were unsuccessful; the Biafrans successfully launched their own offensive, occupying areas in themid-Western Regionin August1967. Biafra War - GlobalSecurity.org [32], The bank was first located in Enugu, but due to the ongoing war, it was relocated several times. 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. . Lt. Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu, left, takes the oath of office shortly after a declaration of independence and the formation of the new state of Biafra on June 10, 1967. We were being shelled from everywhere, she said, recalling the day Nigerian combatants reached the city. [49]It has two arms of government, the BiafraGovernment in Exileand the Biafra Shadow Government. Lambert Ihenacho, is known as a brilliant and resourceful officer in the Nigerian Army. 2023 The Sun Nigeria All Right Reserved. Though he was much older than me, as a fellow Old Boy of Government College Umuahia, I knew him fairly well and interacted very closely with him in 2007 when he was to be honoured by the Lagos Branch of the Association at its Annual Dinner of which I was the chairman of the Dinner Committee under the presidency of C.N.C. Biafran soldiers advance towards a Nigerian army position in June 1968. You must clear the enemy from Obinze in 24 hours or submit your resignation from the army.". Soon afterwards, the Biafran battalion captured Umuabayi, together with the enemy ammunition and food dump located there. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). [35]A special guerrilla unit, the Biafran Organization of Freedom Fighters, was established, designed to emulate the insurrectionist guerilla forces of theViet Congin theAmerican Vietnamese War, targeting Nigerian Federal Army supply lines and forcing them to shift forces to internal security efforts. Like her, Eyiche Adizua, a former technician, fled to Oguta during the civil war. [4] Mdecins Sans Frontires also originated in response to the suffering. The commander of the army,General Aguiyi Ironsiseized power to maintain order. [1] Contents 1 History 2 Army 3 Air wing 4 Navy 5 Weapons and equipment used by Army and militias 6 References 7 Bibliography History At the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War, Biafra had 3,000 soldiers. [73][74][75], The Incorporated Trustees of Bilie Human Rights Initiative, representing the Indigenous People of Biafra, have filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government of Nigeria and Attorney General of the Federation, seeking the actualization of the sovereign state of Biafra by legal means. Now, therefore, I, Lieutenant-Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Military Governor of Eastern Nigeria, by virtue of the authority, and pursuant to the principles, recited above, do hereby solemnly proclaim that the territory and region known as and called Eastern Nigeria together with her continental shelf and territorial waters shall henceforth be an independent sovereign state of the name and title of The Republic of Biafra.