Reflecting on the Nkanu-Igbo Experience and the Military Occupation of Enugu and Environs by the Nigerian Army, 1967-1970.

The Nigerian-Biafran Civil War was fiercely fought by both sides involved. Biafra, which had seceded from Nigeria, faced numerous challenges, including the pogrom, the counter-coup d'état that severely weakened its officer corps, and the sporadic outbreaks of sectarian and ethnic cleansing that occurred before the Republic of Biafra was declared on May 30, 1967. Within just three months of the conflict's start, Biafra lost its capital, Enugu. Enugu and its surrounding areas were predominantly inhabited by the Nkanu Igbo people, who found themselves under Nigerian army occupation from September 1967 to January 1970 as the Biafran forces retreated. The occupation of Nkanu Igbo was marked by horrifying and inhumane acts, including the summary execution of suspected Biafran partisans. These crimes against humanity have not received the scholarly attention they deserve. Therefore, the objective of this study is to thoroughly examine the experiences of the Nkanu Igbo during the civil war. By utilizing oral interviews and secondary sources, this paper aims to shed light on the hardships endured by the Nkanu people throughout the war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]