The Untold Stories Of Port Harcourt Sector Of The Civil War

The Port Harcourt Sector of the Civil War was one of the heaviest battlefields in Biafraland during the war. Port Harcourt holds the distinction as the only city in the present South-South Region to see extended confrontation. Even among hinterland Igboland, Port Harcourt ranks high in the conflict. Even the fighting in Enugu the capital of Biafra fell short of the clash in Port Harcourt. Perhaps only the Owerri and Onitsha sectors of the war saw more battles and stories than the Port Harcourt Sector of the war.

First, as a background, we would highlight what made Port Harcourt tick.

What Made Port Harcourt Important During the War?

There are a few reasons why Port Harcourt was important during the war and it ranges from geography to size to strategy.

Port Harcourt gave Biafra access to the sea: Technically.  By the time war broke out between Biafra and Nigeria, the entire naval forces of the old Republic were in the hands of Nigerians headquartered in Lagos. With these ships and other naval weapons plus reinforcement from the UK and the Arab League, Nigeria was able to completely blockade Biafra by sea. Suffocation is a better word actually.

Port Harcourt thus was the only hope Biafra had for the outside world via the sea. Biafra had make-believe navies in its lakes and the River Niger but their hope for a true naval force was Port Harcourt. It was nearly impossible to draw up a plan of naval thrust from Port Harcourt but it was there all the same.

With towns and villages in what is now Cross River/Akwa Ibom getting captured with heartbreaking rapidity, the importance of Port Harcourt grew for both sides of the war.

Port Harcourt was Biafra’s only source of electricity: As the war raged, Biafra’s access to power was the power plant at Afam, near Port Harcourt. Of course, electricity wasn’t a rural thing in those days and raids by Nigerian Air Force had hurt a lot of power lines in Biafra, yet there were places with power. It wouldn’t also be cool for Biafra’s morale to be in darkness not because power lines were bombed by “cowardly” Nigerian forces but because of conquest which was what losing Port Harcourt/Afam would mean.

Biafra just had to keep Port Harcourt.

Port Harcourt’s big-city status: Every big city was important for Biafra to keep and besides the obvious eating into Biafran territory that ant area lost meant, big cities hold special importance for two reasons:

i) For morale

ii) To avoid the huge refugees that capturing a big city would mean for the crazily densely populated rest of Biafra.

On their part, Nigeria needed any Biafra space they can capture but big cities are special for the following reasons:

Nsukka Sector of the Civil War

i) For their large spaces which can serve as convenient bases for their forces

ii) As evidence that Biafra should give up their resistance. “Port Harcourt, Owerri, Enugu, and Onitsha are in Nigerian hands, so what are you still resisting?”

The Port Harcourt refinery built in 1965 was the only refinery in the nascent country. Oil from the refinery fueled the war efforts and basically run the republic. Later on, Biafrans would discover crude and ingenious ways to refine oil (which is a subject for later articles) but in 1967, all oil needs were taken care of by the refinery in Port Harcourt.

The battle for Port Harcourt 

Keeping Port Harcourt was difficult for three reasons. It was attacked by air, it was attacked by land, and it was attacked by sea. The Federal Military Government had air superiority, they owned the sea, and they outnumber Biafra land forces by men, by tanks, by rifles, by bombs, and by reconnaissance gadgets.

What did the Biafrans have to their advantage?

Passion. And Colonel Joseph Achuzia.

Colonel Joe Achuzia – The Roving Fox

During the Second World War, the North African sector of the war saw some of the deadliest battles. This doesn’t (or shouldn’t) make sense. Germany, Italy, and Japan were the main axis powers; America, Great Britain, and the Soviets were the allied forces, but somehow, they were fighting in North Africa. Many may forget how the North African sector fared but one name stands out – German General Erwin Rommel, the desert fox.

At the peak of the war in 1942, the German/Italian forces he commanded were outnumbered five to one by the British ad allied forces but such was “cunning and for deceptive maneuvering” that he continually eked out victories and denied allies complete domination in a campaign they have a supreme lead in weaponry and manpower.

Achuzia reenacted Erwin Rommel in many cases in Biafra. While he is known as Hannibal, we call him the Roving Fox: This name gives us a better connection to his story.

Achuzia made a name for himself in the Onitsha Sector of the war. Before the Biafran war, Achuzia who was trained as an engineer in England had seen actions in the Korean War and in the British Occupation of Palestine.

In October 1967, after shelling the city for several weeks, by air, via water, and via land, the Nigerian forces finally entered the city. They didn’t pursue the retreating Biafran forces, they went to loot and burn the Onitsha Market.

Achuzia mobilized his men. Colonel Assam Nsudoh mobilized his men: They attacked the Nigerians on two fronts, killing and capturing the troops, destroying and capturing equipment.

Five months later, Achuzia was part of the forces that pulled off the famous Abagana Ambush that killed nearly all of the troops of the 2nd Division of the Nigerian Army headed by Colonel Murtala Muhammed.

When reports accusing Achuzia of indiscretions reached General Ojukwu, he was said to have responded, “I don’t care if he ate with his feet, but he won battles!”

When Port Harcourt was facing an imminent invasion, Ojukwu sent the Roving Fox to Port Harcourt.

The Battle Proper

Already on ground to defend Port Harcourt was the 52nd Brigade led by Colonel Kalu. Colonel Kalu was instructor at Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC) in Kaduna (now Nigerian Defense Academy), and who escaped the counter coup of July 1966 by hiding in a water tank throughout the rail journey from Kaduna to Enugu.

Kalu was a fighter whose highlight was the attack and recapture of Bonny until Lagos reinforcement broke his hold. Kalu went on to lead assaults on Nigerian troops (we would discuss this in details when we talk about the Biafran Guerilla Warfare).

When Major Joe Achuzia arrived Port Harcourt on the 9th day of May 1968, the city was virtually encircled. Bonny, Opobo, and Bori were already in the hands of Nigerians, and the Biafran troops morale was low. They were badly fed and not greatly equipped. They also lacked air support. It was a matter of them trying to make the best of what they had and they had very little.

Important Dates to remember about Biafra

To support Achuzia in the defence of Ugwuocha was an Italian mercenary and his special forces.

The Nigerians captured the important port town of Onne. Biafran forces led by the Italian mercenary recaptured the town two days later. Nigerians reinforced and took Onne.

The Nigerians met fierce resistance as they tried to enter Port Harcourt City. They managed to capture the airport. Achuzia’s men recaptured the airport. Nigerians retook it, the Biafrans, re-recaptured it. The airport became the symbol of the battle for the soul of the city.

Nigerians had air support and could easily call on reinforcement. The Biafrans were already stretched defending many fronts as Nigerian forces poured in like ants. When the forces of Biafra couldn’t recapture the airport and then lost the army barrack, it was basically over.

A lot of the Biafran soldiers retreated from the Port Harcourt sector. Joe Achuzia and some of his men stood their ground and continued to fight. Gradually the Nigerian foot soldiers encircled his troops and were going to kill or capture Achuzia, and nearly succeeded in running him over with an armoured tank.

It was only then, after barely escaping with his life, that Joe Achuzia left the city.

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