On May 30, 1967, Chukwuemeka Ojukwu made a formal declaration of secession of the Eastern Region of Nigeria, thereby proclaiming the birth of the Republic of Biafra. Subsequently, in July 1967, the Nigerian military head of state, General Yakubu Gowon, ordered the Nigerian Army high command to regain control of the eastern region.
The Vulnerability of Nsukka
As tensions grew between the Nigerian government and the breakaway state of Biafra, Nsukka, strategically located on Biafra’s northern border, found itself at the crossroads of a battle that would later cost countless soldiers and civilians their lives. The Battle of Nsukka was part of Operation Unicord, an offensive by the Nigerian Army at the start of the Nigerian Civil War in which six major Biafran towns near the northern border were captured.
Operation Unicord begins
On July 2, 1967, the Nigerian army launches an offensive in northern Biafra. The NA’s first area command was divided into two brigades. Under the command of Major Sule Apollo, the 1st Brigade advanced along the Ogugu-Ogunga-Nsukka road while the 2nd Brigade under the command of Maj. Martina Adamu started along the Gakem-Obudu-Ogoja road. In response, Biafran troops commanded Brigadier General.HM. Njoku defended his territory and initially repelled the attack by the Nigerian army. However, the Nigerian military adapted by recruiting local leaders and informants to gather vital information about the Biafran forces, allowing them to adjust their strategy. Over the course of 10 days, the Nigerian Army advanced south and successfully captured strategic towns in Biafra including Nsukka, Ogugu, Ogunga, Ogoja, Gakem and Obudu. This operation threw the Biafran troops into chaos and marked a significant change in the dynamics of the battle.
Aftermath
Sixteen days later, after the withdrawal from Biafra, Major Kaduna Nzeogwu attempted to regain control of Nsukka, but in vain. The Nigerian Army secured Nsukka but was forced to slow its advance towards Enugu due to the invasion of the Midwest region. Nsukka was the main battlefield in the heartland of Igbo country during the civil war, a period that caused great hardship to the people. What made their suffering even more painful was the unfair label of “saboteurs” and “cowards” imposed on them by other Biafrans when they sought refuge in other parts of Igboland.
