SEPTEMBER 22, 1967 – THE DAY BIAFRA KILLED ITS OWN HEROES
SEPTEMBER 22, 1967 – THE DAY BIAFRA KILLED ITS OWN HEROES
This is one of the most painful but truthful dates in Biafran history. And it happened right Enugu, the capital of the new nation.
On this day, the Head of State of Biafra, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, ordered the execution of four men for alleged treason against Biafra. These men were not ordinary soldiers.
They were:
Col. Victor Banjo (a Yoruba man, Commander of Biafran 101st Division)
Maj. Emmanuel Ifeajuna (Nigeria’s first Commonwealth Gold medalist and mastermind of Jan 15, 1966 coup)
Maj. Phillip Alale and Mr. Sam Agbam.
WHAT DID THEY DO?
In August 1967, Ojukwu sent Banjo to lead Biafra’s most daring offensive – The Invasion of the Midwest. In less than 24 hours, Banjo captured Benin City. He pushed his troops to Ore, just 300km to Lagos. The whole Federal Government was shaking.
But at Ore, the advance stopped. Instead of moving to Ibadan as planned, Banjo ordered a retreat. Ojukwu became suspicious. Intelligence reports and intercepted letters showed that Banjo and Ifeajuna were in secret negotiation with the British High Commission and Federal agents.
Their plan, according to the tribunal records, was to remove Ojukwu, assassinate Gowon, free Chief Obafemi Awolowo from Calabar Prison, and make Awolowo the leader of a new Nigeria. This was not Biafran agenda. This was betrayal of the Biafran cause.
They were arrested on the night of September 19-20 in Enugu. They were tried by the Nkemena Tribunal headed by Major Ijeoma on September 22, 1967. Some history books write September 25, but the trial and sentence was September 22. The confusion was because Federal troops were already bombing Enugu and the city fell two days later.
The court found them guilty of treason and conspiracy to overthrow the Biafran government.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART MANY PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO TELL:
Before he was tied to the pole, Maj. Ifeajuna did not deny. His last words were: “You may kill me now, but I am afraid it is too late. The Nigerians are already in your midst.”
What did he mean? He was telling Ojukwu that his negotiation with Nigeria had already opened the door for Nigeria to enter Biafra.
Col. Victor Banjo, after being hit by the first volley of bullets, shouted “I am not dead yet!” But before that, in his statement to the tribunal, he admitted he was in contact with British officials and Federal side to arrange a ceasefire without Ojukwu’s approval. He wired a letter to London and Washington asking for support for his own government. That letter was intercepted.
These last words and admissions showed they were truly involved in negotiating with the Nigerian government behind Ojukwu to bring down Biafra from inside.
They were executed by firing squad at the Polo Field / Enugu Prisons area.
I pause a minute silent 😭💔
I am writing this history not to apportion blame on anybody, or favour anyone but to state the the fact straight on what happened during Nigeria Biafra war.
Biafra failed not only because Nigeria fought us, but because our own leaders were negotiating with the enemy when blood was flowing.
These are history books to read to know more about the Biafra war and stop badging on my comment station and start writing trash without you reading any history.
-1 Colonel Victor Banjo A Revolutionary Betrayed by Niyi Aborisade
- 2 The Nigerian Revolution and the Biafran War – by Gen. Alexander Madiebo
- 3 Nowhere to Hide (Crisis and Conflict in Biafra) – by Bernard Odogwu
- 4 Why We Struck – by Maj. Adewale Ademoyega
- 5 Emeka – by Frederick Forsyth
- 6 There Was A Country – by Chinua Achebe
- 7 A History of the Nigerian Civil War – by John de St Jorre
- 8 Sunset in Biafra – by Elechi Amadi
-9 Half of the yellow sun by chimamanda etc
Let us learn from history.
