Biafra: The Fall of Enugu – A Turning Point in the Nigerian Civil War

Enugu, a strategic city located in the southeastern part of Nigeria

Biafra The Fall of Enugu - A Turning Point in the Nigerian Civil War Biafra The Fall of Enugu - A Turning Point in the Nigerian Civil War

The Fall of Enugu: A Turning Point in the Nigerian Civil War

The Nigerian Civil War, fought between 1967 and 1970, was a brutal conflict that pitted the Nigerian federal government against the secessionist Republic of Biafra. One of the key battles of the war was the fall of Enugu, the capital of Biafra, which took place in September and October 1967.

Enugu, a strategic city located in the southeastern part of Nigeria, was a prized target for the Nigerian federal forces. Shortly after the war broke out, Nigerian forces made capturing Enugu a priority, but their advance was stalled at Nsukka. In an attempt to distract the Nigerian Army, Biafran President Odumegwu Ojukwu launched an invasion of Nigeria’s Mid-Western Region in August 1967. However, the offensive was brought to a halt, and the Nigerian forces regrouped under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Theophilus Danjuma.

Danjuma, determined to capture Enugu, was given charge of six full battalions and 2,000 troops as reinforcements. He organized these forces into one additional battalion, with the remaining 1,000 troops held in reserve. Notably, the Nigerian Army included large numbers of World War II veterans, bringing valuable experience to the battlefield.

Feeling that the divisional headquarters at Makurdi was too distant and out of touch with the situation, Danjuma ignored orders dispatched from there and instead gathered his officers at his brigade headquarters to design an offensive. He devised a plan whereby Nigerian forces would advance along a broad front, making it more difficult for the Biafrans to block them along major roads as had happened up to that point.

Danjuma then went to Makurdi to inform divisional commander General Mohammed Shuwa of the plan. With his strategy in place, the Nigerian forces began their advance from Nsukka on 12 September. Despite Biafran attempts to slow them down with counter-attacks and by felling trees, the Nigerian forces reached Milliken Hill within weeks and concentrated their forces.

On 26 September, federal artillery began bombarding Enugu, while the Nigerian Air Force conducted raids. Ojukwu pledged to not abandon the city, but the Biafrans began evacuating on 3 October. The Nigerian forces attacked the following day, occupying the city with minimal resistance. Ojukwu narrowly escaped, but the capture of Enugu marked a significant defeat for the Biafrans.

Many Nigerians hoped that the city’s capture would convince the Igbos’ traditional elite to end their support for secession. However, while the loss of Enugu did destabilize the Biafran war effort, Ojukwu relocated his government to Umuahia, and its propaganda concealed the loss of the city. As a result, most Biafrans were not aware of Enugu’s capture until the end of the war.

The fall of Enugu was a pivotal moment in the Nigerian Civil War. The battle showcased the military strategy and determination of the Nigerian forces, led by Lieutenant Colonel Theophilus Danjuma. The capture of Enugu marked a significant defeat for the Biafrans and paved the way for the eventual end of the war.

 

Written By Obinwannem Jideofo Okibe, (Obinwannem News correspondent Enugwu State)
Date: September 15, 2024
Ubochi Eke Oku
Published by Obinwannem Ugwu Okechukwu (CEO Obinwannem Foundation)

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