6 June 1967 – Biafran War Begins

Following the secession of Biafra on 30 May (announced by Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu), the Nigerian government initiated a 'police action' with two columns of Federal troops heading into Biafra. The western column first headed towards Nsukka, north of Enugu, and the eastern column heading to Gakem, north east of Ogoja. The first confrontation was on 6 June 1967 when Nigerian Federal forces captured the town of Gakem, the start of three years of conflict which resulted in great human suffering – it is estimated that almost three million people died, mostly of hunger and disease.

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