The Nigerian Civil War, a bloody conflict between the Nigerian Army and Biafran forces, began on July 6, 1967, at 5 a.m. and lasted until 1970. At the start of the war, Biafran forces had approximately 10,000 soldiers, which grew to around 30,000 by the war’s end. In contrast, the Nigerian Army initially fielded 85,000 troops, expanding to 250,000. The Nigerian government received support from several powerful nations, including the United States, the Soviet Union, Britain, and France, a remarkable feat given that the U.S. and the Soviet Union were in the midst of the Cold War. Though Nigeria ultimately won the war, it came at a high cost in human lives and material resources.
With significant foreign backing, the Nigerian government launched a series of aggressive military offensives, including Operation UNICORD, which sought to break Biafran defenses across multiple fronts. British support alone saw the supply of over 30 million small arms rounds to the Nigerian forces. Despite these overwhelming odds, Biafran soldiers continued to fight valiantly for nearly three years. Due to ammunition shortages, Biafran frontline troops were often issued only two bullets for offensive actions and one for defensive actions, relying on capturing enemy supplies during engagements.
In the northern defensive positions of Gakem, Nsukka, and Ogugu, Biafran troops initially outperformed Nigerian forces. After three days of combat, the Nigerians had suffered over 100 casualties, compared to four Biafrans dead and nine wounded. Buoyed by this early success, Biafran leader Colonel Ojukwu publicly declared that one Biafran soldier was equal to 10 or even 20 Nigerian soldiers. However, severe ammunition shortages forced Biafrans to develop their own military equipment, including armored cars, landmines, and surface-to-surface rockets.
As the war dragged on, the Nigerian military, with foreign assistance, intensified their assaults. France supplied armored vehicles, Britain provided small arms, and the Soviets contributed advanced aircraft, including the Ilyushin Il-28 bomber and MiG-17 fighter jets, crewed by mercenaries from Egypt, the Soviet Union, and Cuba. These air and naval blockades aimed to break Biafran resistance.
The heroic efforts of Biafran soldiers, like Corporal Nwafor, have largely been forgotten over time. One such story recounts how Corporal Nwafor, armed only with a bayonet, single-handedly halted the advance of an entire Nigerian brigade, capturing an armored car and destroying two more in the process. His bravery was instrumental in the defense of Umuahia and the eventual recapture of the city.
In 1967, the Nigerian military conducted the largest amphibious assault in African history, landing 3rd Marine Commando troops at Bonny, a key Biafran port. Led by the notorious Colonel Benjamin Adekunle, they captured strategic coastal cities, including Port Harcourt. In 1968, Nigerian forces launched Operation OAU, aimed at capturing Umuahia. However, Biafran troops reorganized and launched a counteroffensive, surrounding and recapturing Owerri in December 1968.
The battle for Owerri became brutal, with intense hand-to-hand combat. Colonel Ojukwu, along with Biafran commanders like Brigadier Ogbugo Kalu, led efforts to clear the Nigerian supply lines and retake the city. By April 26, 1969, Biafran forces had driven the Nigerian military out of Owerri for the second time, marking a significant victory for the Biafran side.
During one battle, a Biafran platoon from the 39th Battalion, 14th Division, was ordered to clear enemy forces from a heavily contested area. With his men exhausted from continuous fighting, the platoon leader instructed his soldiers to advance cautiously. When they encountered the enemy, a fierce battle ensued, and Corporal Nwafor, armed with only a bayonet, charged at the enemy. In a remarkable feat of bravery, he killed several enemy soldiers and captured a Nigerian Panhard AML armored car. Using the vehicle’s main gun and machine guns, he destroyed two more armored cars and inflicted heavy casualties on Nigerian forces.
Though some accounts claim that Corporal Nwafor was mortally wounded during the assault, his actions turned the tide of battle, allowing Biafran forces to press their attack. His bravery and tactical genius were critical in demoralizing Nigerian troops and pushing them into retreat.
Despite numerous heroic acts by Biafran soldiers, the tide of the war eventually turned against them. The Biafrans, with dwindling supplies and manpower, launched a final offensive using locally made rockets, wiping out a convoy of Nigerian troops. However, by October 1, 1969, the Biafran forces were in full retreat, and the Nigerian military regained control of key cities, marking the war’s closing chapters.
