ara Stay Connected /Tuenay, December 03,2013 = L] Home News Sports Entertainment Lifestyle Multimedia Business Polites Columns Editorial a BIAFRA: The Untold Storyof Nigeria's cil war | PM. NEWS Nigeria 3 BE seachinsn 8 Opinions Media Biethaays [PsiAFRA: The Untold Story of Nigeria's civil war & Secret Amercan diplomatic dispatres, spread over 21,000 pases, provide Drevsly unknown information bout the Nigerian Cha War Ey nthe morning of 1 July 1987, Nigeria's young head of state, Colonel Yakubu Gowan, was folio unesty thse atthe Supers Headquarters, Dodan Barracks br Lagos. The unease was ares of his being ceaselessly pressured w authorize a itary ivasion of the breakaway Republic of Bata, “Thirty offers had been recalled from courses abroad. Trains and wuck comoys, bearing ful supplies and men, were sil leaving Kano and Kaduna for the south of her Bene Colon! Moname Shura ofthe Fst res Command had moved his command headquarters southwards ae secit up in Makutd. The 2nd Satan was aleady headquartered in Aikpo Schools and private homes Rad been commandeered for the use of Major Sule Apolo ae his 4h Bataan m turk. They were hing for action. The same day, Major A. Usman “a member ofthe itimate northern group round Gowon ol the Amerkan defense attaché "1do no know what nha eis ‘ating Fr the Boys are already to go. They are only wating on Ws word" Members ofthe Supreme Mary Counc, wo had een enetng mice daly, were wnatng for hs word. The whee nation was wating. Bafa, whch was on igh et, ‘as aso wating. (on 27 june 1967, Cyprian kwens. famous witer and Biata’s Drectr of information Service, trough the Voce of Bata formerly Enugu Rado), urged Biaans tobe Drepared for animvasion on June 29 since Morternes have ae stock on 29%h day fhe month” He was aliding to the day rather oes, led by Mor TY. Danjuma, seized Gowon's predecessor, Major-General Agutirons, and kil him ina forest ouside adan Cowon, then 31, had been runing the aff of S7rnllon Ngeras for 10 months. Inc not been easy. Chet Odatem Auolowo, he 58-year old tues deputy 3nd {ser was uth Oko Arkpo and Philp sido, permanent secretaries ofthe Iminstres of External fairs and Trade and industres respectively “Thay ware prepating to put the noose on the nek af the Anglo-Dutch a tnt, 1P,which had frozen ropay payments due to the Federation Account on 1 June Y967 and tad offered to pay the Batfan government £250,000. Leurenart Colonel Odumegun Oj, Baran leader, had ordered alll companies to start paying al oyalues 1 Enugu because they were operating 3 Ne CUNY oF rik hea pena. ‘ul: Sworn in as Head of State of Bitra ‘emewsnigeria.com21302/ bat. theuntld-storyo-igerias- cian! TTF World janor Tourney Niger Now "South Aicans angry ave talcd reads a POP Lauiches Ad Package For Widona Wenger — ‘is Wil Reopen For Sudies WAST wav Wale Soyinka Cate For A Coroners 214 W/Cup Draw MaigariLeads Wgeha Delegation Topaz _ a a routhing shoes tor a3raai3 [BIAFRA: Tho Untold Story of N gevia's cil var | PM. NEWS Nigeria Specialy, he deranded 4 minimum of millon (rom Shell 82. The Federal CCoverrment had imposed an economic blockace on Bata, ental baring ll merchant vessels and se tankers om Salling to and fom Koko, Wat. Speke, Escavos, doony, Pot Harcourt, Calabar pots, wbich Ok had delved part and parcelof aie, ara conraled the nd onwhicn the ol nstaavons sat the Nigerian soverneent fortrled the coastal entrance ard ext to thre lands. Sell was cnfured a © lose order shouldbe obeyed Sk David Hunt te Br2sh High Commision to Niger tad his Arerican counterpart ae he meting wih the Nigerian delegation "Awolowo i very fray in control of Wns of nance an hei ing Staley Gra Sells Cenera Manager and other experts from London very afc ime for he past hve days.” They persuaded Awolowo to accept a deal tat would favour the Nigerian govertnent and, athe sare tne, woul predispose oll workers ad the {Somilionivesmento danger inthe hands of Baran mary eres. Awa fefived, arguing that anything short of restates que was recogion of Sina aed once royalties were paid, he Ngeran government would nave the capac to fund ‘hater action t would take on the rebels and shel-BPssvestmete would be ste Cowon paced tothe large outdated map ofthe country by the door this ff. When ony Gowen cid someting about the dominance of Nor over the res of te maton ‘Armontsbelare, Gowon tad broken up the North imo sb states, BUC he map by He oor Stl howe he old Nigra, tan pasing Nvth at the top. He ran hs ger ff my own people” He knew wt R meant oe reserte, re as notte most Serlorofcer nthe army te was nt 2 Wushm Hausa oF Flan rm xano,Kadura or Sokot, He was 2 Ciscan fom one ofthe small mines that tthe Nore and ye, rns had promoted him to ie posiion af the Head of Sate a Commande (het the chagrin of ary northern ofcers, pola, and emi, fala His pao lover Edn He, tld him her Me was shvetened ewe Lagos since she telurned from the North in March 536 because of hat year's massacre of tre bo. Not 30,000 but areurd 7,000 were ked, accorcing tothe Amer can dacuerts. Donal Paterson of te Pelical Scion and Tom Sith ofthe Economic Seaton travelled (tor te US Embasoy in Lagos feos of people, who ad fle rapidly Ie behind, Most Northerners we tke ad no apologies for what ha happened othe bos, or te pogrom tat hake So many. There were exceptoss, buts general thee was a remorse and the esl2g nas one of good rdcance the garcener, but nt long afterwards, the cook lef for the East.” sad Paterson, Eater that week, Gon called the West German Ambassador n Lagos. The Germars ete eager to be In the good graces ofthe Cowon administration. A wnt loomed. Ad Bdge war signed two years enter bythe Ambassador, CFO of Jule Berger Tifa [AG ard Sheu Shagar, Feceral Commissioner Tor Works ad Survey. That was Jus Tergr's rat contac in Nigeria. was due for completion in ss than to years and ator’ Hest ire (On the evening of $0 June, just befare her Gepartute on a commercial ane, told the American Defense Atache Standish rook, and his wt, Gall tat she cual wate t go the UX or USA, but Jace as she aecionatey aled Gowen, insted that she could be expose to danger nether of eto counts. Germany he reasoned would be ser. ih ‘ToMajor 8M, Usman and ater rorthem oficers around Gowen, who had atv buted fis slow response tothe secession othe ‘ac that is grlitend was bo and that er Tatar Counc meeting of oy 1967. Gown authored the long aw ed mlRary lt ha safety anded in West Germary. Gowan tol the gathering: “Gerteme, we thos.” The miltary action, whien was to become the Nigerian Chill War or the Biafran War or Operator Unicod, 35 was coded in mltry eck, ofl start on & uly forsul ir Ka¢ura: No one shouts kid vel that ths a Pgh betwen the Fat snd the est ofNigera. Lisa Fight between te Nor and the Ib.” He added thatthe rebels would be shed out of ug wh su wets. Le, Clone Hasso” Katina ‘went further oy withthe level of enthsitam among the soldiers, twould be 2 prmeusnigeria.conv201302/ bila the untold story o-igerias-civl-vae! a jesse fo a BR a8raai3 [BIAFRA: Tho Untold Story of N gevia's cil var | PM. NEWS Nigeria rater of ony hours before Ojala an his men were rounced! up he northern section of te Ngerian miltary was the best quipped inte country. To ersure te region's conensed dornarce, he Bch assigned mast of army ad swore tere, Kaduna sore wat nome tthe neadguarers ofthe Ist Ousion of the Nigeran Army. Defense Indusries Corporaton of Nigeria (Army Depot A Force ‘alin School ane, Nigerian Defence Acaceny Seno Zaria, andthe British Commardant of th school to hin rary of the stents could not conte because trey fled woetuy. When Ribadu sured through te fit Sue said it wat a Mobammec, an ahin, a Yas or an Abdulah "You dont Sheu Vs YarAdua was one of he students for whom the commandant was sacked, "You can see wnat Yar dua ter Became in Ie. He became the vce present This isthe poner of forward alanning” Sule declared sino othe forward planners, according to he US documents, Ojukwe had Been reteoutly preparing for war ss early a5 October 1965, ater the second round ot Irassace tthe North Me had stopped the Eastern share ef revenues tat were Supposed to accue 1a the Federaton Account. By 50 Apri 1367. he had recalled all Ilorsezes ofthe Republe of Baa-a mere 8 percent ofthe size of Nigerizwas aresdy divided ito 20 provnces, with adersSelectes foreach They had thelr oun [leary egstve coun, minises and ambassador. lutte helcopters nd 3 ompany. Han Warton the Cerman-Amerian ars desler, had been ing n Ceech fan lene arm in Spain and Porogal since October 1966. The mleary haar they coulé not get they seed, ADCS ard a Foeker £27 were seized om the Nigerian Ar orce in Abr. NAS Ibadan, a Nigerian Navy Seaward Defence Boat (2) Major Chukwuna Nzeoga, who Was supposed tobe in Enugu in prison for his role in 96 coup, ined in raring recrts in Abakalle,Foelgn rercearies were taining Indacumated old people. young men and zenagers rected 25 NCOs (Nor ommssoned! OFicers in jungle marae, Boma mang, mortar and other arlery rd aclo broadcast, seceeced In conlcing his people tat her destiny war ceath fora separate sate Allis performances in Chana hat culmiated Inte Abur Accord (January 1987, oF eisussons withthe Auelowo-ied National Condlation Commitee fue months ater, ture! euro be ruse “The underround war preparation, the secret arms stckoles open manifested tremrebes as Ojsou's subbom refusal to accent oes or encessons dung these ut the Biatans knew tht thei wunerabe line was along Ogos, om, CalbaF, Port rinores was very mach unsure, The minors viewed! te leagets Bia high fommand as waters Ar without the minorities, Baa woul be landlocked and most Ialy unable a8 2 state. More so the vas land gas resoures were the reason they contemplated secession ithe fst lace. The Baa high command belived tt transported through ship. They alendy has 2 826 bone fo deal fe to gers lon warspor Shp, NAS Loko) aryime k approached the Ba‘fan coastline ne Blane alo knew that Gowen wanted to rezpec the neuralty of Midwest ad rot evade tough Niger Bridge, wheh would have driven the people af he Mcwest rmobllz3von ofthe wo Datalons ofthe federal troops there, they ha tustorthy fen dere that would alert Enogu, Ang if that fled, according to Se US document the Niger Erage had been mined using “exalosves with metal covering atess the “The Biafans alo knew ha the Yoruba, who were wor enemies ofthe Noster hegemony, woud rever jn the North itary or palcaly against the Baran. When {Conon vouched to “rush de rebelion”progrssie Yoruba wiellctnls depbred the language. Professor Hezekiah Olvasann, Vie Chancellor cf Une of te sescribed the use ofthe word as unfortunate Jusice Kayode Eso ofthe Wester Court, ff Appesl sid: Crushing the Ea wat nok the way to make Ng oe.” i, Song, the American consul nBbadan, whom they had been speaking Contidenaly wete “AS wtebecusls and modernizers, ey see the concn tems of Certinuing deternation of conservative Noth to dominate the rove advanced South flominance over the Wert, The centre of rouble might shen suing back tothe West, sahere al sared ne Blans understood, therefore, tat ther suongest defence perimeter woud 3e rmensnigexia.conv20 1302/1 the untold story o-igerias-cil-vae! a3