Trusted since 2008
LoginRegister
Study resources on Kenyaplex

Get ready-made curriculum aligned revision materials

Exam papers, notes, holiday assignments and topical questions – all aligned to the Kenyan curriculum.

Browse exam papers
Or go directly to:
Class notes Holiday assignments Topical questions Other resources

Discuss the Nigerian war of 1967 to 1970

Discuss the Nigerian war of 1967 to 1970.

Answers

Sharon
. The Nigerian civil war, 1967-70
When he took power in a military coup in July 1966, Lt. General Yakub Gowon ordered the release of political leaders of the Yoruba tribe. But tension between the North (Hausa) and South (Ibo) continued. Many Ibos were killed secretly and forced to go back to their home province in the East. The Ibo revenged by killing northerners in Port Harcourt and Onitsha towns. A train load of northern refugees was stopped at Imo river and many of them were killed. When this news reached the North, the explosive situation blew up in a wave of murder, looting and arson directed against the Ibo in diaspora.
The pogroms, which sought to drive the Ibos from the North and Hausa from the East swept over the leading towns such as Gombe, Sokoto and Kaduna in the north. Although many leaders in the north attempted to save the Ibo settlers, this did not diminish the terrible persecuting of the Ibo were not safe from northern soldiers so they went east to their traditional home with 2 million refugees from the North, West and Lagos.
The East pulled out of the conference in Lagos and demanded sovereign existence. Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Ibo leader, refused to attend a meeting of the supreme military council, fearing his personal safety. Ojukwu declared that all federal institutions in the East belonged to the local government, he decided to secede, he seized national mail vans, took a Nigerian Airways plan, which provoked the federal government.
In May 1967 Maj. General Gowon decreed a division of Nigeria into 12 states and the formation of a council in charge of government departments, the aim was to get support of the minority communities.
On 30th May 1967, Ojukwu proclaimed the republic of Biafra to respond to attempted genocide against the Ibo who believed that no Nigerian leader could guarantee Ibo security but this was contrary to the idea of one Nigeria.
The civil war in Nigeria (Biafra war) began on 6 July 1967 when the federal army began attacking Eastern region. The Biafrans launched a dramatic offensive they captured Ibadan and Lagos and took over Benin. Between 1968-1970 there was determined Biafra resistance, malnutrition and of the civilians. There was heavy fighting in Oguta and Owerri towns. When Gen. Obasanjo took over as the new military commander of Nigerian army, the federal government made several success against Biafra. On 11 January 1970, Ojukwu fled to Ivory Coast and the Biafra army surrendered.
jerop5614 answered the question on January 21, 2019 at 09:09

Answer Attachments

Next: A screen is placed 80cm from an object. A lens is used to produce on the screen an image with a magnification of 3. What...

Previous: State and explain the branches of economics

View more History and Government Questions and Answers  |  Return to Questions Index

Exams With Marking Schemes

Related Questions