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Untold Story Of The Nigerian Civil War by HolyHero: 7:10am On Jul 09, 2015 |
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Biafran War,
6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970, was an ethnic and
political conflict caused by the attempted secession of
the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-
proclaimed Republic of Biafra. The conflict was the
result of economic, ethnic, cultural and religious
tensions mainly between the Hausas of north and the
Igbo of the southeast of Nigeria. Over the two and half
years of the war, 1 million civilians died from famine
and fighting. The war became notorious for the
starvation of some of the besieged regions during the
war, and consequent claims of genocide by the largely
Igbo people of the region.
The Nigerian government launched a "police action" to
retake the secessionist territory. The war began on 6
July 1967 when Nigerian Federal troops advanced in
two columns into Biafra. The Nigerian army offensive
was through the north of Biafra led by Colonel Shuwa
and the local military units were formed as the 1st
Infantry Division. The division was led mostly by
northern officers. After facing unexpectedly fierce
resistance and high casualties, the right-hand Nigerian
column advanced on the town of Nsukka which fell on
14 July, while the left-hand column made for Garkem,
which was captured on 12 July. At this stage of the
war, the other regions of Nigeria (the West and Mid-
West) still considered the war as a confrontation
between the north (mainly Hausas) against the east
(mainly Igbos).[citation needed] But the Biafrans
responded with an offensive of their own when, on 9
August, the Biafran forces moved west into the Mid-
Western Nigerian region across the Niger river, passing
through Benin City, until they were stopped at Ore (in
present day Ondo State) just over the state boundary on
21 August, just 130 miles east of the Nigerian capital of
Lagos. The Biafran attack was led by Lt. Col. Banjo, a
Yoruba, with the Biafran rank of brigadier. The attack
met little resistance and the Mid-West was easily taken
over. This was due to the pre-secession arrangement
that all soldiers should return to their regions to stop
the spate of killings, in which Igbo soldiers had been
major victims. The Nigerian soldiers that were supposed
to defend the Mid-West state were mostly Mid-West
Igbo and while some were in touch with their eastern
counterparts, others resisted. General Gowon responded
by asking Colonel Murtala Mohammed (who later
became head of state in 1975) to form another division
(the 2nd Infantry Division) to expel the Biafrans from
the Mid-West, as well as defend the West side and
attack Biafra from the West as well. As Nigerian forces
retook the Mid-West, the Biafran military administrator
declared the Republic of Benin on 19 September, though
it ceased to exist the next day. (The present country of
Benin, west of Nigeria, was still named Dahomey at that
time.)
Although Benin City was retaken by the Nigerians on 22
September, the Biafrans succeeded in their primary
objective by tying down as many Nigerian Federal
troops as they could. Gen. Gowon also launched an
offensive into Biafra south from the Niger Delta to the
riverine area using the bulk of the Lagos Garrison
command under Colonel Benjamin Adekunle (called the
Black Scorpion) to form the 3rd Infantry Division (which
was later renamed as the 3rd Marine Commando). As
the war continued, the Nigerian Army recruited amongst
a wider area, including the Yoruba, Itshekiri, Urhobo,
Edo, Ijaw, and etc. Four battalions of the Nigerian 2nd
Infantry Division were needed to drive the Biafrans back
and eliminate their territorial gains made during the
offensive. Nigerian soldiers under Murtala Mohammed
carried out a mass killing of 700 civilians when they
captured Asaba on the River Niger. The Nigerians were
repulsed three times as they attempted to cross the
River Niger during October, resulting in the loss of
thousands of troops, dozens of tanks and equipment.
The first attempt by the 2nd Infantry Division on 12
October to cross the Niger from the town of Asaba to
the Biafran city of Onitsha cost the Nigerian Federal
Army over 5,000 soldiers killed, wounded, captured or
missing. Operation Tiger Claw (17–20 October 1967)
was a military conflict between Nigerian and Biafran
military forces. On 17 October 1967 Nigerians invaded
Calabar led by the "Black Scorpion", Benjamin Adekunle
while the Biafrans were led by Col. Ogbu Ogi, who was
responsible for controlling the area between Calabar
and Opobo, and Lynn Garrison a foreign mercenary. The
Biafrans came under immediate fire from the water and
the air. For the next two days Biafran stations and
military supplies were bombarded by the Nigerian air
force. That same day Lynn Garrison reached Calabar
but came under immediate fire by federal troops. By 20
October, Garrison's forces withdrew from the battle
while Col. Ogi officially surrendered to Gen. Adekunle.
With increased British support the Nigerian federal
forces launched their final offensive against the Biafrans
once again on 23 December 1969 with a major thrust by
the 3rd Marine Commando Division the division was
commanded by Col. Olusegun Obasanjo (who later
became president twice) which succeeded in splitting
the Biafran enclave into two by the end of the year. The
final Nigerian offensive, named "Operation Tail-Wind",
launched on 7 January 1970 with the 3rd Marine
Commando Division attacking, and supported by the 1st
Infantry division to the north and the 2nd Infantry
division to the south. The Biafran town of Owerri fell on
9 January, and Uli fell on 11 January. Only a few days
earlier, Ojukwu fled into exile by flying by plane to the
Ivory Coast, leaving his deputy Philip Effiong to handle
the details of the surrender to General Yakubu Gowon of
the federal army on 13 January 1970. The war finally
ended a few days later with the Nigerian forces
advancing in the remaining Biafran held territories with
little opposition.
After the war Gowon said, "The tragic chapter of
violence is just ended. We are at the dawn of national
reconciliation. Once again we have an opportunity to
build a new nation. My dear compatriots, we must pay
homage to the fallen, to the heroes who have made the
supreme sacrifice that we may be able to build a nation,
great in justice, fair trade, and industry. |
Re: Untold Story Of The Nigerian Civil War by absoluteSuccess: 7:12am On Jul 09, 2015 |
...a nation to live up to the ethos of our heros, where peace and justice reign. God bless. *Applause* |
Re: Untold Story Of The Nigerian Civil War by Princecalm(m): 7:15am On Jul 09, 2015 |
what is the untold story here? No offence |
Re: Untold Story Of The Nigerian Civil War by absoluteSuccess: 7:22am On Jul 09, 2015 |
Princecalm:Op has not told (untold) anyone he would be sharing this wonderful piece (story) before this day. Get it? |
Re: Untold Story Of The Nigerian Civil War by buzquet(m): 7:30am On Jul 09, 2015 |
Keep dreaming biafra people. Una neva mature 1 Like |
Re: Untold Story Of The Nigerian Civil War by Princecalm(m): 7:33am On Jul 09, 2015 |
absoluteSuccess:yes he has |
Re: Untold Story Of The Nigerian Civil War by absoluteSuccess: 7:37am On Jul 09, 2015 |
Princecalm:Glory. |
Re: Untold Story Of The Nigerian Civil War by francizy(m): 7:37am On Jul 09, 2015 |
Gowon must be enjoying this victory right now in Plateau state. I do not envy him.. 1 Like |
Re: Untold Story Of The Nigerian Civil War by amadice(m): 7:50am On Jul 09, 2015 |
nonsense |
Re: Untold Story Of The Nigerian Civil War by tpiadotcom: 6:29pm On Jul 24, 2015 |
any good books about the mid west invasion? particularly the regions around Edo. |
Re: Untold Story Of The Nigerian Civil War by tpiadotcom: 6:47pm On Jul 24, 2015 |
why exactly did Biafra invade the Midwest? was installing their own governor part of the plan or was that a double-cross? |
Re: Untold Story Of The Nigerian Civil War by somtookeke(m): 4:34am On Dec 23, 2019 |
*WATCH: JANUARY 15, 1970 (Untold Memories of the Nigeria-Biafra War)*... https://speakersden2..com/2019/12/watch-january-15-1970-untold-memories.html
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