Asaba massacre–history

Bird and Ottanelli argue that the failure of the international press and the British government to condemn the October 1967 Asaba massacre had serious repercussions. 

 Completely undeterred, Nigerian troops went on to commit additional war crimes that claimed the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians.  Most importantly, the government of Biafra circulated the news of the violence as a powerful means of convincing Igbos that the Nigerian government’s true aim was the complete and total annihilation of the Igbo population.  

It was the fear of what federal troops would do if they won the war that kept Biafran forces fighting for over two more years in what Liz Bird argues was a hopeless conflict.  Encircled and cut off from outside sources of supply, it was starvation and disease that transformed Biafra into a humanitarian catastrophe with a death toll of 1-2 million.  

Photo: This late 1960s photograph shows a seated, listless child, who was among many kwashiorkor cases found in Iași relief camps during the Nigerian–Biafran war. 

Kwashiorkor is a disease brought on due to a severe dietary protein deficiency, and this child, whose diet fit such a deficiency profile, presented with symptoms including edema of legs and feet, light-colored, thinning hair, anemia, a pot-belly, and shiny skin. 

A large number of relief camps were established for nutrition assessment and feeding operations for the local villagers around the war zone (Source: Wikicommons). 

We hope that you have enjoyed reading our blog on the world history and facts. If you enjoy this blog please let us know in the comments below. If you are interested in history, we recommend you check out our other blogs here on the world history and facts. Thank you for reading.