By Anyi Kings
Published On the Biafra Post
As the 30th of May approaches—a day set aside to remember the millions who perished during the Biafra genocide—we must continue to tell the stories that history tried to silence. We must remember the innocent men, women, and children whose lives were cut short, whose only crime was their identity and their desire for freedom.
Their blood cries out for remembrance. Their sacrifices must never be forgotten.
OJI RIVER: The Killing of Hospital Staff and Patients
2nd August, 1968
On 2nd August 1968, one of the most horrifying atrocities of the war occurred at a hospital near Oji River, outside Enugu.
Reports state that Nigerian troops entered the hospital and opened fire on the medical staff who had chosen to remain behind to care for the wounded. Fourteen Biafran nurses were reportedly executed in cold blood. The soldiers then moved from ward to ward, killing helpless patients on their beds.
According to Mr. C.N.C. Nnolim, the victims were not even given the dignity of burial. Their bodies were allegedly left in the open, exposed to vultures and wild animals.
Earlier in May 1968, troops reportedly entered the village of Amurri and took away fourteen civilians, including a prominent trader, Mr. Ngwuocha of Ozalla Awkunanaw. They were never seen again.
In June of the same year, approximately 500 men, women, and children were reportedly taken away under similar circumstances. Their fate remains unknown, but history suggests they never returned.
OKIGWE MASSACRE
30th September, 1968
On 30th September 1968, Okigwe witnessed another tragic chapter in the war.
Eyewitness accounts report that invading troops killed two delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross, two missionaries, several foreign relief workers, and more than one hundred Biafran civilians—including women and children.
The killings were described as unprovoked and merciless.
ASABA MASSACRE:
Thousands of Igbo Men Slaughtered
October, 1967
Asaba remains one of the darkest symbols of the genocide.
When Nigerian troops entered the town, the local population initially welcomed them with songs, drumming, dancing, and chants of “One Nigeria.” Traditional rulers, elders, women, and community leaders dressed in white to receive the soldiers in peace.
But what followed was unspeakable.
The people were gathered in large numbers under the pretense of a peaceful assembly. Then, on the orders of the commanding officers, soldiers reportedly surrounded the crowd and opened fire indiscriminately.
Thousands of unarmed civilians were massacred.
Men, young and old, were cut down in their numbers. Families were torn apart. Survivors carried the scars for generations.
The women who survived reportedly faced further abuse, displacement, and unimaginable suffering.
Asaba became a symbol of betrayal, pain, and the determination of a people never to forget.
SAPELE AND WARRI MASSACRES
The massacres in Sapele and Warri stand among the lesser-known, yet equally painful tragedies of the war.
Reports indicate that hundreds—possibly over one thousand—Biafran civilians lost their lives in these attacks.
Witnesses recount that captured Biafran men were humiliated, stripped naked, tortured, and forced to mock themselves before being executed.
Others had their hands tied behind their backs before being shot and thrown into rivers.
Women were not spared. Many suffered brutal violence, humiliation, and abuse.
For days, the killings reportedly continued without mercy.
A Million Lives Lost
By November 1967 and throughout 1968, reports suggested that over one million lives had already been lost in the war—an overwhelming majority being civilians: children, mothers, fathers, the elderly, and the helpless.
These were not statistics.
They were human beings. They had names. They had dreams. They had families.
And on 30th May, we remember them.
We remember those who were starved.
We remember those who were bombed.
We remember those who were massacred.
We remember those whose graves were never marked.
Their memory lives on.
WE MUST REMEMBER THEM.
Anyi kings
#RememberThe30thMayAndKeepItHoly
#30thMaySitAtHomeIsSacrosanct
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