THE NIGERIA-BIAFRA WAR AND THE EVOLUTION OF CIVIL MILITARY RELATIONS AND COOPERATION IN BIAFRA (1967-1970)

Abstract

The history of the Nigeria-Biafra War covers a broad spectrum of topics namely politics and government, economy, humanitarian crisis, conflict management, health and medicine, weaponry, international aid, religion, military relations among others. Although, some of these topics have been investigated by historians and scholars of diverse academic backgrounds, however, there is little literature on civil military relations in pre-conflict Igboland. This paper examines the evolution of civil military relations in Biafra during the Nigeria-Biafra War. Materials for the study are obtained from primary and secondary sources of data. Primary data include archival materials and oral interviews. Majority of the archival materials were obtained from the National Archives, Kaduna (NAK) while interviews were held with informants with a profound knowledge of the history of the civil war. Secondary sources include books, journal articles, conference papers, periodicals, among others. All of these were subjected to historical analysis. The paper concludes that civil military relations played a significant role in the general commitment of both civilians and the Biafran soldiers to the secession project. Both the civilians and Biafran soldiers saw each other as partners and collaborators in the struggle against a more numerous and equally determined Nigerian forces.