By Ibeh Gift Amarachi
(For Family Writers)
On 30th of May 1967, Biafra declared Independence and on 7th July The Federal Military Government of Nigeria began operations to defeat Biafra. The War lasted until January 1970 as an extremely well-equipped Nigeria Federal Army Men who was supplied by BRITAIN took on volunteer Biafra Army, much of whose equipment initially came from the hand made weapons and from captured Nigeria supplies and which later was able to procure relatively small quantities of arms from outside. The wishes of Biafrans were never a major concern of British planners. The priorities of Britain was maintaining the unity of Nigeria for Geo-political interest and protecting BRITISH OIL BUSINESS INTEREST.
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Biafran children starved to death by Britain and Nigeria |
If Nigeria were to break up,we cannot expect that economic development and trade to proceed at the same level as they would have done in a unified Nigeria,nor can we now count on the SHELL/BRITISH PETROLEUM concession being regained on the same terms as in the past if the East and West assume full control of their own economies". In the run-up to GOWON'S declaration of War,BRITAIN had made it clear to the Federal Military Government(FMG) of Nigeria that it completely supported Nigeria unity. GEORGE THOMAS told the Nigeria High Commissioner In London at the end of April 1967," The Federal Government of Nigeria had our sympathy and our full support". The then HIGH COMMISSIONER IN LAGOS 'SIR DAVID HUNT',wrote in a Memo to London on 12 June 1967 that "The only way of preserving unity in Nigeria is to remove OJUKWU by force,who was committed to remaining the ruler of an Independent State and that British intrests lay firmly supporting the Federal Military Government(FMG) Of Nigeria.


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