Nigerian Civil War

Nigerian Civil War
Part of the Cold War and the decolonisation of Africa
Clockwise from top left: Brigadier-General Godwin Alabi-Isama of the Nigerian Army (second right) briefing Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo (third right) and Colonel Pedro Martins on the Pincer strategy to defeat Biafra Biafran child suffering from kwashiorkor due to the mass famine caused by the Nigerian blockade of Biafra Makeshift airport in Calabar delivering international humanitarian aid to Biafra during the Biafran airlift
Date 6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970 (2 years, 6 months, 1 week and 2 days Location Southeastern Nigeria Result Nigerian victory Territorial changes Dissolution and annexation of the Republic of Biafra
Belligerents
Nigeria  Egypt[a] (until 1969)	Biafra
Support:  United Kingdom[1]  Soviet Union[1]	Support:  France[1]  Israel (after 1968)[1]  China[2]
Commanders and leaders
Supreme Military Council Col. Yakubu Gowon Rear Admiral Joseph Edet Akinwale Wey Brigadier Emmanuel Ikwue Major General Hassan Katsina General James Oluleye Navy Commodore Nelson Soroh Col. Joseph Roland Akahan IGP Kam Selem Deputy Inspector General Fagbola Col. Shittu Alao General Adeyinka Adebayo Audu Bako Joseph Gomwalk Brigadier Mobolaji Johnson Brigadier Abba Kyari Brigadier Musa Usman Brigadier Samuel Ogbemudia Brigadier David Bamigboye Dr Ukpabi Asika Navy Commander Alfred Diete-spiff Usman Faruk Brigadier Udokaha Jacob Esuene Brigadier Christopher Oluwole Rotimi other top-commanders Col. Murtala Ramat Mohammed Col. Olusegun Obasanjo Brigadier Benjamin Adesanya Adekunle Major Theophilus Danjuma Major Gibson Sanda Jalo Major Iliya D. Bisalla Captain Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Col. Ibrahim Bata Malgwi Haruna Major Anthony Ochefu Col. Mohammed Shuwa Col. Martin Senkom Adamu Major Sule Apollo Col. Alfred Aduloju Col. Ayo Ariyo Col. Folusho Sotomi Sani Abacha Lieutenant Colonels: Lt. Col. Godwin Alabi-Isama Lt. Col. Alani Akinrinade Lt. Col. Francis Aisida Lt. Col. George Innih Lt. Col. Ignatius Obeya Lt. Col. Inuwa Wushishi Lt. Col. Shande Lt. Col. Utuk Majors: Major Abdullahi Shelleng Major Abdulsalam Abubakar Major Afeigbe Major Ahmadu Aliyu Major A. T. Hamman Major Anthony Hannaniya Major Bala Major David Jemibewon Major Domkat Bali Major Emmanuel Abisoye Major Eromobor Major Garba Duba Major Gado Nasko Major Gagara Major Godwin Ally Major Haladu Major Ibrahim Babangida (WIA) Major John Atom Креra Major Joshua Dogon Yaro Major Malumfashi Major Mamman Jega Major Mamman Vatsa Major Muhammadu Buhari Major Ola Oni Major Sabo Sokoto Major Sani Bello Major Titus Numan Major Sunday Tuoyo Major Tumoye Major Usman Jibrin Major Way Major Yemi Alabi Major John Nmadu Yisa-Doko Major Zamani Lekwot Captains: Capt. Atama Capt. Geoffrey Ejiga Capt. Joradan Capt. Mac Semede Capt. Patrick Idoko Capt. Remawa Capt. Sani Sami Capt. Yohanna Y. Kure Lieutenants: Lt. Adadevo Lt. Awodeyi Lt. Bagudu Mamman Lt. Illuyomade Sergeant Major: Sgt. Major Adamu Pankshin	Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Philip Effiong  Timothy Onwuatuegwu  Albert Okonkwo Victor Banjo  Ogbugo Kalu  Joseph Achuzie  Humphrey Chukwuka Foreign mercenaries: Rolf Steiner[3] Taffy Williams[3] Jan Zumbach[4] Carl Gustaf von Rosen[4] Lynn Garrison[5] Marc Goosens †[3] Roger Faulques[3] Captain Paddy Captain Alee
Units involved
Nigerian Armed Forces	Biafran Armed Forces Foreign mercenaries
Strength
85,000[6]–150,000[7] (1967) 250,000 (1968)[citation needed] 200,000[8]–250,000[7] (1970)	10,000[9]–100,000[7] (1967) 110,000 (1968)[10] 50,000[8]–100,000[11] (1970)
Casualties and losses
45,000[8]–100,000[12][13] combatants killed 3,000,000–4,000,000 Biafran civilians died from famine during the Nigerian naval blockade[14][full citation needed] 2,000,000–4,500,000 displaced,[15] 500,000 of whom fled abroad[16]

The Nigerian Civil War (6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970), also known as the Biafran War, was a civil war fought between Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra, a secessionist state which had declared its independence from Nigeria in 1967. Nigeria was led by General Yakubu Gowon, and Biafra by Lieutenant Colonel Chukwuemeka "Emeka" Odumegwu Ojukwu.^[17] The conflict resulted from political, ethnic, cultural and religious tensions which preceded the United Kingdom's formal decolonisation of Nigeria from 1960 to 1963. Immediate causes of the war in 1966 included a military coup, a counter-coup, and anti-Igbo pogroms in the Northern Region.^[18] The pogroms and the exodus of surviving Igbos from the Northern Region to the Igbo homelands in the Eastern Region led the leadership of the Eastern Region (whose population was two-thirds Igbo) to conclude that the Nigerian federal government would not protect them and that they must protect themselves in an independent Biafra.^[19]

Within a year, Nigerian government troops surrounded Biafra, and captured coastal oil facilities and the city of Port Harcourt. A blockade was imposed as a deliberate policy during the ensuing stalemate which led to the mass starvation of Biafran civilians.^[20] During the 2+1⁄2 years of the war, there were about 100,000 overall military casualties, while between 500,000 and 2 million Biafran civilians died of starvation.^[21]

Alongside the concurrent Vietnam War, the Nigerian Civil War was one of the first wars in human history to be televised to a global audience.^[22] In mid-1968, images of malnourished and starving Biafran children saturated the mass media of Western countries. The plight of the starving Biafrans became a cause célèbre in foreign countries, enabling a significant rise in the funding and prominence of international non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Biafra received international humanitarian aid from civilians during the Biafran airlift, an event which inspired the formation of Doctors Without Borders following the end of the war. The United Kingdom and the Soviet Union were the main supporters of the Nigerian government, while France, Israel (after 1968) and some other countries supported Biafra.^[1][23] The United States' official position was one of neutrality, considering Nigeria as "a responsibility of Britain",^[24] but some interpret the refusal to recognise Biafra as favouring the Nigerian government.^[25][26]

The war highlighted challenges within pan-Africanism during the early stages of African independence from colonial rule, suggesting that the diverse nature of African peoples may present obstacles to achieving common unity. Additionally, it shed light on initial shortcomings within the Organization of African Unity.^[27] The war also resulted in the political marginalization of the Igbo people, as Nigeria has not had another Igbo president since the end of the war, leading some Igbo people to believe they are being unfairly punished for the war.^[28] Igbo nationalism has emerged since the end of the war, as well as various neo-Biafran secessionist groups such as the Indigenous People of Biafra and Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra.^[29]

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