Siege of Owerri

Capture of Owerri
Part of the Nigerian Civil War
Date September 30, 1968 - April 26, 1969 Location Owerri, Nigeria Result Biafran victory
Belligerents
Nigeria	Biafra
Commanders and leaders
Benjamin Adekunle Mohammed Shuwa	Odumegwu Ojukwu Carl Gustaf von Rosen Ted Hamma †
Strength
3,000	Unknown
Casualties and losses
2,700	Unknown

The Capture of Owerri, (September 30, 1968 – April 26, 1969), was a military conflict between Nigerian and Biafran forces. The Capture of Owerri was a major victory for the Biafran's because of the fact that the victory opened up telephone lines, enhanced road tellecommunications, and showed that with stiff resistance Biafra could defeat Nigerian forces.

Background

Soon after the Nigerian Civil War started the Nigerian army took the cities of Enugu, Benin City, and Port Harcourt. This left the struggling country of Biafra with less large cities which pushed more people into camps which meant they had more mouths to feed. Many women and children were all either starving or had died from malnutrition. When images of starving and sick children got around the world many people started to support Biafra. In 1968 a United Kingdom radio station asked for $144,000 for food and medical care to be sent to Biafra but instead they got $1,044,000 from all over the world. The American Red Cross then sent planes carrying supplies and doctors to Biafran camps. With all of the money they had to spend on food the Biafran army was able to deduct money to buy military supplies. In September Gen. Odumegwu Ojukwu sent a large band of men to occupy the Nigerian controlled city of Owerri.

Battle

In September 1968 Gen. Ojukwu left battle plans in the hands of Gen. Okwechime. After the already ongoing battles of Operation OAU ended in October 1968 Gen. Ojukwu left Umuahia to Owerri. When Ojukwu arrived he ordered his men to surround the city and no to leave position which would start a siege of the city. Ojukwu then sent troops into the city to have the Nigerian forces to flee from the city and into the waiting hands of Biafran forces. On December 21 the Biafran 16th Division led by Maj. E.A. Eutuk attacked Adekunle's men who were already occupying the city. The same day the Biafran 68th Battalion led by Odumegwu Ojukwu surrounded the city, firing mortars and shells into the city. Most attacks by the Biafrans were counter-attacked by the Nigerians. On January 8, 1969 the Biafrans gained control of Owerri. On January 12 the Nigerian 3rd Division led by Benjamin Adekunle ordered an offensive against the Biafrans inside Owerri. Although the Biafrans lost the city they regained it within a few days due to the help of Carl Gustaf von Rosen. Although the Nigerians were gaining an advantage over the Biafran 16th Division Gen. Adekunle knew that the Biafrans would not give up. The Nigerians were quickly running out of food and ammunition and were constantly being bombarded by the Biafran air force led by Carl Gustaf. A Biafran commander named Ted Hamma joined Von Rosen's air force. By April 1969 the Biafrans had driven the Nigerians more than a mile away from Owerri. On April 19 the Biafran air force led by Von Rosen and Ted Hamma were flying over the surrounding area of Owerri when all of a sudden a missile launched by the Nigerian 15th Division struck the plane of Ted Hamma killing him instantly. On April 24 the Nigerian 15th Division led by Gen. Adekunle fought their way out of Owerri and made a beeline out of the area. On April 25 the Biafran 16th Division ambushed the retreating Nigerians and killed and captured many of their men. Gen. Mohammed Shuwa, who was trapped inside Biafran boundaries, fought his way out of the city and retreated to the forests. By this time most Nigerians had been kicked out of Owerri and on April 26 the remaining Nigerians surrendered to the Biafrans.

Aftermath

The aftermath left the Biafran's with new telephone lines and new roads around the city. This also was a major loss for the Nigerian's who at the time had total control over the war. In May 1969 the Nigerians invaded Oguta. Oguta was taken and was an advantage for the Nigerians if they decide to attack Owerri. On December 24, 1969 Umuahia was taken by Benjamin Adekunle's men and on January 9, 1970 Owerri was invaded and taken soon after.