The Biafran War, also known as the Nigerian Civil War, was a conflict between Nigeria and the secessionist state of Biafra that lasted from 1967 to 1970. It was triggered by ethnic, economic and political tensions that had been simmering since Nigeria gained independence from British colonial rule in 1960.
In May 1967, Biafran military leader Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu declared the secession of the Eastern Region of Nigeria, which was largely dominated by the Igbo ethnic group, and proclaimed the independent Republic of Biafra. The Nigerian government, however, did not recognize Biafra’s independence and sought to crush the secessionist movement.
A series of battles and massacres followed, with both sides committing atrocities against civilians. The war devolved into a brutal stalemate, with Biafra under a crippling economic blockade and suffering from widespread hunger and disease. In 1970, Biafran forces surrendered and Nigeria restored its control over the region.
The war is estimated to have resulted in the deaths of between 500,000 and 2 million people, mostly from famine and disease caused by the blockade. It also left lasting scars on Nigerian society, with continued ethnic tensions and separatist movements in several parts of the country.
