THE RECAPTURE OF OWERRI IN PICTURES

Compliements of the season dear readers ! Well about 10 days ago I brought us the drammatic re-capture of the city of Owerri, during the devastating Biafran war. The recapture happened because the Biafrans had just lost their capital city of Umuahia across the Imo river in today’s Abia State and needed to give something quickly to its suffering and demoralised citizens.

When the order was finally given by Gen Ojukwu to the Divisional Commander; Col Ogbugo Kalu, he got to work and quickly unleashed his ‘S’ div and 14th div and others on the entrapped Nigerian army numbering about 5000 but dangerously and lavishly armed to the teeth but also led by the best Nigerian field commander of the war, in the person of Col Akpan Etuk; he was labelled the best by the Biafran GOC Gen Alex Madiebo and praised by Col Achuzie Hannibal and Gen Phillip Effiong; when enemy officers call you the best they ever faced, i think it’s a great honour that should stick.

Once started, the battle for Owerri was a drammatic and Vicious one with heavy casualties on both sides; Nigeria lost one of its rising stars in Major Ted Hamman from today’s Bornu state while Biafra lost a very daring and brave officer in Major Atumaka, he died at Emmanuel College Owerri (My Alma Mater).

Anyway people, do enjoy and learn history of the War from these epic pictures that showcases nothing but the sheer courage and bravery of the Biafran forces in battle, and please, do buy the books featured in our book section. Please allow me to correct one falsehood, the picture of the lone soldier carrying his rifle and advancing has been severally reported as that of Capt Ogbonna Oji, the picture isn’t his but that of an un-named brave Biafran officer and the battle featured is around Egbu Owerri in today’s Imo state.

For detailed information of every single battle fought prior the final battle, plus every military and political event leading up to the re-capture of Owerri by the Biafran forces, which actually took about 5 months of planning and battles; remember the Biafran High Command chose a Bear Hugging gradual suffocation of the tapped Nigerian 16th Battalion in Owerr, to a full blown attack. Please refer to military historian Dr Nowa Omogui, an authorithy on the Nigerian civil war and a brilliant one at rhat, although a biased one, as some readers would find (we are all flawed, i guess).

Please leave a comment and click on picture to enlarge:

Reference:

The Nigerian Revolution and the Biafran War by Gen Alex Madiebo

The Federal Nigerian Army Blunders of the war – Dawodu.com