SOURCE:

Faculty: Arts
Department: History & International Studies

CONTRIBUTORS:

Obi-Ani, N.A;
Ojiakor, N.E;

ABSTRACT:

The objective of this study is to examine the Nigeria-Biafra war and the occupation of Nsukka and Enugu areas of Biafra, 1967-79. The Nigerian-Biafran civil war was savagely contested by both sides of the divide. The seceding Biafran had borne the brunt of the pogrom, the counter –coup d’etat that decimated its officer corps in Nigeria and the sporadic outbursts of sectarian and ethnic cleansing that preceded the declaration of the Republic of Biafra on May 30, 1967. In less than three months of the commencement of hostilities, Biafra lost its northern town of Nsukka and its capital, Enugu, with all its stores. Nsukka area is the borderline separating Biafra from the Northern region of Nigeria, while Enugu was the capital of the emergent Biafran Republic. However, with the speedy over-running of these two major areas (Nsukka and Enugu) by the Nigerian soldiers from July 1967, the civil populations were subjected to horrendous and inhumane treatment. The Biafran civil population passed through excruciating moments of summary executions, pass system, and arbitrary commandeering of young women as sex slaves by the Nigerian army of occupation. The University town of Nsukka and Enugu were systematically looted by the invading Nigerian soldiers. Unfortunately, this heinous crime against humanity which altered the social life and social processes of the people has received only superficial scholarly attention. This research would amply utilize qualitative method in analyzing the occupation of Nsukka and Enugu area. Giorgio Agamben’s theory of state exception is applied complemented by Dollard et al frustration –aggression hypothesis. Using primary and secondary sources of data collection, analysis and interpretation of history, the results of the occupation were, economic pauperization, political marginalization and increase in social vices. The work is presented in a chronological, analytical and thematic form