Armed Violence in South-east Nigeria

The South east of Nigeria is most notable for the Biafra war  when under the leadership of late Lt Col Odumegwu Ojukwu in a struggle for self determination the republic of Biafra was declared in July 1967. Its geographical boundaries where poorly defined and highly disputed even by ethnic, cultural and political groups within the region, it included the 5 states that currently make up the region (Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo) and spilled over into parts of the Niger Delta states (Bayelsa,Delta, Rivers, Cross-rivers).

The Niger delta was already highlighted as the source of crude for the blossoming oil trade, therefore the Federal government did not tolerate this talks of secession and launched one of the most brutal civil wars of the 20th century with over 3 million dead by the end of the war.

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