pictures
OPERATION UNICORD
Part of nigeria civil war
Date july 2-12,1967
Location: northern biafra border
Result; nigeria victory
Belligerents; Nigeria and Biafra
Commanders; Nigeria( sule apollo and martin adamu). Biafra(H.M njoku).
Casualties: unknown on both sides .
The Operation UNICORD (July 2 – July 12, 1967) was an
offensive launched by the Nigerian Army at the beginning of
the Nigerian Civil War. It involved the capture of 6 major
Biafran towns near their northern border.
Background
When Nigeria became an independent state in October 1960
the newly formed government consisted mainly of northern
politician from the Hausa-Fulani ethnic group. Early on the
Nigerian government became corrupt with various
politicians swindling public funds and rigging votes. By 1965
the Nigerian government became so corrupt that uprisings
against the government sprang up all across Nigeria with
various politicians attempting to gain more power. This
resulted in rioting and mass arrests in the cities of Lagos and
Ibadan. The politician Obafemi Awolowo was falsely blamed
for causing the riots and was sentenced to 10 years in a
Nigerian prison. All of the chaos that occurred in the political
ralm gave was to the 1966 Nigerian coup d'etat in which 11
senior politicians were killed by mainly Igbo soldiers led by
the Army Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu. The Nigerian Prime
Minister Abubakar Balewa was one of the 11 politicians
assassinated during the coup of January 15. Nzeogwu's
soldiers were forced to retreat to Kaduna after General
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was able to assemble a force of
soldiers in Lagos to combat the rebellious soldiers. Ironsi
was made President of Nigeria on January 16, 1966 and
became the first Igbo president in Nigerian history. many
northern generals and politicians were angry at Ironsi for
two reasons, because he did not execute Major Nzeogwu
and because he was giving more and more political power
to southern politicians. On July 29, 1966 Ironsi was
assassinated by a mutinous soldiers under the command of
Lt Col Murtala Mohammed and installed Colonel Yakubu
Gowon as Head of State. The counter-coup resulted in the
1966 anti-Igbo pogrom and caused the brutal massacre of
50,000 Igbo civilians living in various northern cities such as
Kano and Kaduna. These massacres angered many Igbo
civilians and a call for secession was given by Colonel
Odumegwu Ojukwu. Ojukwu met with President Gowon in
Aburi, Ghana in December 1966 to discuss the situation that
was occurring in Nigeria. A vote was held in May 1967 in the
Eastern Region of Nigeria that was to see how many
easterners supported a secession. The vote resulted in 68%
of easterners approving of a secession of a secular Igbo
state. On May 30, 1967 Ojukwu officially seceded the Eastern
Region and proclaimed the new Republic of Biafra. Ojukwu
managed to assemble a 3,000 man guerrilla force to defend
Biafra's front lines. In early July 1967 Nigerian President
Gowon ordered General Olusegun Obasanjo to regain
control of the Eastern Region.
Battle
On July 2, 1967 the Nigerian Army opened its offensive
operations from the Northern sector. The First Area
Command NA, supported by an artillery brigade consisting
of scorpion tanks, saladin armored cars, and ferrets was
divided into two brigades. The 1st brigade under Maj. Sule
Apollo advanced down the Ogugu-Ogunga-Nsukka road
while the 2nd brigade under Maj. Martin Adamu advanced
down the Gakem-Obudu-Ogoja road. Defending Biafran
soldiers under Brig. H.M. Njoku managed to repel the attack,
however, the Nigerian Army began recruiting guides and
informants to report on the disposition of Biafran troops,
their strength, and other crucial information. For 10 days the
Nigerian Army fought its way southward and managed to
capture the towns of Nsukka, Ogugu, Ogunga, Ogoja, Gakem,
and Obudu while also forcing defending Biafran troops to
retreat in disarray. Many Biafran soldiers complained of
malaria, headache, and other ailments. Thousands of
Biafran civilians fled their homes, in fear of being massacred
by Nigerian soldiers, and headed for the Biafran capital,
Enugu.
Aftermath
16 days after the Biafrans retreated Nzeogwu attempted to
regain control of Nsukka on July 30 but was killed by
Nigerian soldiers while driving down a road. Obasanjo was
successful in his conquest of Nsukka but did not enter any
further into Biafran territory but instead was put aside after
the Biafran Generals Albert Okonkwo and Victor Banjo
invaded Nigeria's Mid-Western Region. Murtala Mohammed
was put in charge of fending off all Biafran soldiers within
Nigeria's boundaries. Victor Banjo got within 135 miles of
the Nigerian Capital Lagos before he was intercepted by
Mohammed's men. After over a month of bloody fighting the
Biafrans retreated to Onitsha and released their hold over
the Mid-Western Region. With the Midwest Invasion over the
Nigerians returned to Nsukka and began planning an
invasion of the Biafran Capital Enugu. Due to Nsukka's
proximity to Enugu it was a strategic stronghold. Olusegun
Obasanjo invaded the area around Enugu in mid September
1967. Obasanjo knew that Enugu would not fall easily if he
attacked it head on so he decided to surround the city and
begin a siege. On September 30 Obasanjo was able to break
through the Biafran defensive lines around Enugu and
entered the city. After 6 days of bloody fighting the Biafrans
fled south to Umuahia.
Below are some pictures from the civil war
1) A federal soldier armed with an anti-tank bazooka ,seing covering the end of aba-umuahia road where the biafran troops hold positions,sept 28 1968.
2)A biafran soldier with an portable anti-tank bazooka
3)A biafran soldier with a GPMG
4) A federal soldier captured by biafran troops.
Part of nigeria civil war
Date july 2-12,1967
Location: northern biafra border
Result; nigeria victory
Belligerents; Nigeria and Biafra
Commanders; Nigeria( sule apollo and martin adamu). Biafra(H.M njoku).
Casualties: unknown on both sides .
The Operation UNICORD (July 2 – July 12, 1967) was an
offensive launched by the Nigerian Army at the beginning of
the Nigerian Civil War. It involved the capture of 6 major
Biafran towns near their northern border.
Background
When Nigeria became an independent state in October 1960
the newly formed government consisted mainly of northern
politician from the Hausa-Fulani ethnic group. Early on the
Nigerian government became corrupt with various
politicians swindling public funds and rigging votes. By 1965
the Nigerian government became so corrupt that uprisings
against the government sprang up all across Nigeria with
various politicians attempting to gain more power. This
resulted in rioting and mass arrests in the cities of Lagos and
Ibadan. The politician Obafemi Awolowo was falsely blamed
for causing the riots and was sentenced to 10 years in a
Nigerian prison. All of the chaos that occurred in the political
ralm gave was to the 1966 Nigerian coup d'etat in which 11
senior politicians were killed by mainly Igbo soldiers led by
the Army Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu. The Nigerian Prime
Minister Abubakar Balewa was one of the 11 politicians
assassinated during the coup of January 15. Nzeogwu's
soldiers were forced to retreat to Kaduna after General
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was able to assemble a force of
soldiers in Lagos to combat the rebellious soldiers. Ironsi
was made President of Nigeria on January 16, 1966 and
became the first Igbo president in Nigerian history. many
northern generals and politicians were angry at Ironsi for
two reasons, because he did not execute Major Nzeogwu
and because he was giving more and more political power
to southern politicians. On July 29, 1966 Ironsi was
assassinated by a mutinous soldiers under the command of
Lt Col Murtala Mohammed and installed Colonel Yakubu
Gowon as Head of State. The counter-coup resulted in the
1966 anti-Igbo pogrom and caused the brutal massacre of
50,000 Igbo civilians living in various northern cities such as
Kano and Kaduna. These massacres angered many Igbo
civilians and a call for secession was given by Colonel
Odumegwu Ojukwu. Ojukwu met with President Gowon in
Aburi, Ghana in December 1966 to discuss the situation that
was occurring in Nigeria. A vote was held in May 1967 in the
Eastern Region of Nigeria that was to see how many
easterners supported a secession. The vote resulted in 68%
of easterners approving of a secession of a secular Igbo
state. On May 30, 1967 Ojukwu officially seceded the Eastern
Region and proclaimed the new Republic of Biafra. Ojukwu
managed to assemble a 3,000 man guerrilla force to defend
Biafra's front lines. In early July 1967 Nigerian President
Gowon ordered General Olusegun Obasanjo to regain
control of the Eastern Region.
Battle
On July 2, 1967 the Nigerian Army opened its offensive
operations from the Northern sector. The First Area
Command NA, supported by an artillery brigade consisting
of scorpion tanks, saladin armored cars, and ferrets was
divided into two brigades. The 1st brigade under Maj. Sule
Apollo advanced down the Ogugu-Ogunga-Nsukka road
while the 2nd brigade under Maj. Martin Adamu advanced
down the Gakem-Obudu-Ogoja road. Defending Biafran
soldiers under Brig. H.M. Njoku managed to repel the attack,
however, the Nigerian Army began recruiting guides and
informants to report on the disposition of Biafran troops,
their strength, and other crucial information. For 10 days the
Nigerian Army fought its way southward and managed to
capture the towns of Nsukka, Ogugu, Ogunga, Ogoja, Gakem,
and Obudu while also forcing defending Biafran troops to
retreat in disarray. Many Biafran soldiers complained of
malaria, headache, and other ailments. Thousands of
Biafran civilians fled their homes, in fear of being massacred
by Nigerian soldiers, and headed for the Biafran capital,
Enugu.
Aftermath
16 days after the Biafrans retreated Nzeogwu attempted to
regain control of Nsukka on July 30 but was killed by
Nigerian soldiers while driving down a road. Obasanjo was
successful in his conquest of Nsukka but did not enter any
further into Biafran territory but instead was put aside after
the Biafran Generals Albert Okonkwo and Victor Banjo
invaded Nigeria's Mid-Western Region. Murtala Mohammed
was put in charge of fending off all Biafran soldiers within
Nigeria's boundaries. Victor Banjo got within 135 miles of
the Nigerian Capital Lagos before he was intercepted by
Mohammed's men. After over a month of bloody fighting the
Biafrans retreated to Onitsha and released their hold over
the Mid-Western Region. With the Midwest Invasion over the
Nigerians returned to Nsukka and began planning an
invasion of the Biafran Capital Enugu. Due to Nsukka's
proximity to Enugu it was a strategic stronghold. Olusegun
Obasanjo invaded the area around Enugu in mid September
1967. Obasanjo knew that Enugu would not fall easily if he
attacked it head on so he decided to surround the city and
begin a siege. On September 30 Obasanjo was able to break
through the Biafran defensive lines around Enugu and
entered the city. After 6 days of bloody fighting the Biafrans
fled south to Umuahia.
Below are some pictures from the civil war
1) A federal soldier armed with an anti-tank bazooka ,seing covering the end of aba-umuahia road where the biafran troops hold positions,sept 28 1968.
2)A biafran soldier with an portable anti-tank bazooka
3)A biafran soldier with a GPMG
4) A federal soldier captured by biafran troops.
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