In this March 1969 report, the British Labour Government led by Harold Wilson stood firm on it policy to continue supplying the Federal Government of Nigeria led by Gen Yakubu Gowon, with weapons to continue its war with the breakaway Biafran Republic, led by Gen Emeka Ojukwu.
This policy stance is despite opposition from its back-benches and the indiscriminate use of these weapons on the Biafran civilian populace; including the recent bombing of a market in the Biafran capital of Umuahia yesterday, which killed 35 women and children, though the planes are Russian and flown by Egyptian mercenary pilots. But the bulk of the Nigerian guns and heavy ammunitions are British.
The British goverment opines that to stop supplying Nigeria with weapons, might lead to a Biafran victory and also lead to the balkanisation of the African continent with its 2000 different ethnic groups. The Labour goverment also thinks that stalling or stopping its supply to Nigeria might be pointless since the Russians will fill the gap.
The solution proferred was to have Sir dennis Greenhill; the commonwealth and foreign office Perm Sec, go to Lagos to talk to Gen Gowon about the Indiscriminate use of weapons on Biafran civilian population.
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