On October 7, 1967, a tragic and heinous massacre occurred in Ahaba (now Asaba), Delta State. Nigerian troops invaded the town, killing over 2,500 civilians in cold blood.
What was their crime?
The people of Ahaba have endured 57 years of sorrow, trauma, and anguish following this massacre, a brutal consequence of the Nigerian Civil War. It is believed that the massacre was meant to punish the people of Ahaba for allegedly supporting Biafra. Barely three months into the war, federal troops stormed the small town on the west bank of the River Niger, ransacking homes, destroying property, and killing men indiscriminately.
The violence, which began on October 5, 1967, escalated on October 7. In a tragic twist, hundreds of residents—men, women, and children—dressed in traditional white attire (akwa ọcha) and chanting “One Nigeria” in support of the federal troops, were led to Ogbe-Osowa, where many were executed. The town was left in ruins, a place without its men.
The order for the massacre was reportedly given by Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Taiwo. Ironically, Taiwo was beheaded during a coup in 1976, exemplifying the saying, “those who live by the sword shall die by the sword.” His son, Brigadier-General Ahmed Ibrahim Taiwo, is the same officer who denied fatalities during the Lekki incident in 2020, raising questions about the continuity of violence across generations.
According to witness Dr. Uchenna Gwam, the federal troops aimed to eliminate every Ahaba man, believing them to be related to Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, leader of Nigeria’s first military coup in 1966. Gwam noted that the soldiers were on a mission of revenge, not necessarily targeting Biafrans.
The massacre did not end on October 7. In the days following, more killings took place at various locations around the town, such as John Halt on October 9, 1967, and St. Patrick’s College in early 1968. Many families unknowingly walked into what became a death trap, thinking they were receiving the federal troops as allies. Men were separated from women and children, and soon after, the soldiers opened fire. Women were left to bury the bodies of their husbands, brothers, and fathers, while vultures scavenged among the dead. Tragically, the soldiers also took advantage of the chaos, committing widespread sexual violence against women.
A cenotaph now stands in Asaba in memory of the victims, with the names of those who perished inscribed on its walls. Today, we remember the innocent lives lost in this senseless act of violence, carried out under the command of General Murtala Mohammed and Major Taiwo.
May their souls rest in peace.
