Nigeria-Biafra Civil War Ends
The Nigeria-Biafra Civil War, lasting from 1967 to 1970, was a significant conflict rooted in Nigeria's colonial past and post-independence ethnic tensions. Following Nigeria's independence in 1963, increasing inequalities among its diverse ethnic groups, particularly between the Northern Region and the Igbo people of the Eastern Region, led to widespread dissatisfaction and unrest. A coup in January 1966 set off a power struggle, resulting in the declaration of independence by the Eastern Region as the Republic of Biafra on May 30, 1967. The Nigerian federal government responded with military action, marking the beginning of a brutal conflict characterized by severe humanitarian crises, including famine and mass displacement. Throughout the war, Biafra garnered international sympathy, leading to humanitarian aid efforts, while Nigeria received military support, notably from the Soviet Union. The war concluded on January 15, 1970, with Biafra's surrender, resulting in the region's reintegration into Nigeria. The aftermath saw significant suffering among the Igbo population, with millions affected by famine and the challenges of recovery, while international observers noted a lack of evidence for claims of genocide despite the humanitarian crisis. The war left a lasting impact on Nigeria's socio-political landscape and continues to influence discussions around ethnic identity and national unity in the region.
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Nigeria-Biafra Civil War Ends
Nigeria-Biafra Civil War Ends
The Nigeria-Biafra civil war, a conflict rooted in the region's colonial history, ended with Biafra's surrender on January 15, 1970. Previously a British colony, Nigeria was split into the Northern, Eastern, and Western Regions when it was granted independence in 1963. These divisions, drawn to separate the more than 200 ethnic groups living there, were artificial and unequal and resulted in the larger Northern Region dominating Nigerian politics.
This inequality heightened ethnic rivalries and dissatisfaction among army officers and led to a power struggle that culminated in a coup in January 1966 led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu of the Igbo tribe. Nzeogwu soon relinquished power to the army's commander in chief, Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, who had gained political power in the north. Ironsi did not rule for long, however. When Ironsi reinstated the coup leaders, rather than prosecuting them, he was perceived as being involved in the coup, and his action was seen as an Igbo bid for power. When Ironsi abolished the federal government and attempted to construct a more centralized form of government, Northern officials felt threatened by what looked like an Igbo attempt to dominate Nigerian politics, and so they rioted, killing thousands of Igbos.
In July 1966 another coup ensued in which Ironsi was killed and Major General Yakubu Gowon, from the Hausa tribe of the Northern Region, assumed power. Attempts at a peaceful restoration of the federal government failed, and the murdering of Igbos continued. Between 8,000 and 10,000 Igbo were killed and more than 1 million fled to the Eastern Region. Igbo officers began pressuring the Eastern Region's military governor, Lieutenant Colonel Chukwenmeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, to secede from the federal government and refused to accept Gowon as their leader. On May 30, 1967, under Ojukwu, the Eastern Region of Nigeria declared its independence and renamed itself the Republic of Biafra.
Skirmishes shortly broke out between forces of the federal government and residents of the Biafran state. On July 6, 1967, the Nigerian federal government officially declared war on Biafra, beginning a military conflict that would last for 30 months. Nigerian forces boasted more men and had increased their importation of arms to aid their struggle, but Biafra put up a fierce resistance. The Biafrans gained sympathy for their cause by issuing propaganda that warned of genocide against the Igbo people. The international community responded with humanitarian aid and some military assistance, while the Soviet Union supported Nigeria with high-tech warplanes. In the meantime, Tanzania, Zambia, Gabon, and the Ivory Coast recognized Biafra as an independent state.
By January 6, 1970, Biafra's resistance had collapsed and Ojukwu had fled to the Ivory Coast, prompting a cease-fire by Philip Effiong, Ojukwu's chief of state, on January 12, 1970. A formal surrender came three days later, ending Biafra's existence and reuniting the country. International observers afterward found no evidence of genocide among the Igbo people, although there were signs of famine and shortages of food, clothing, and shelter as a result of the war, especially among the 3 million Igbo refugees. Relief from overseas groups was either administered by the Nigerian government or blocked, if the agency offering relief had assisted Biafra during the war.