- Title: NIGERIA: FEDERAL FORCES SHELL BIAFRAN TOWN.
- Date: 15th April 1968
- Summary: NIGERIAN OFFICERS STUDYING MAPS; AIRCRAFT ATTACKING; ARTILLERY PIECES FIRING; INFANTRY AND WOUNDED ON MOVE. Initials GS/VS/JF/ES Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved Details FEDERAL NIGERIAN TROOPS HAVE SHELLED THE BREAKAWAY BIAFRAN TOWN OF AROCHUKU. REPORTS FROM LAGOS SAY THE FEDERAL FORCES ESTABLISHED A BRIDGEHEAD 10 MILES FROM THE TOWN AFTER FIERCE FIGHTING. TO ESTABLISH THE BRIDGEHEAD, THE FEDERAL FORCES HAD TO FORD THE STRATEGIC CROSS RIVER, NORTH-WEST OF CALABAR. A MILITARY HEADQUARTERS SPOKESMAN IN LAGOS SAID THE FORCES ARE NOW ENCAMPED ON THE RIVER'S WESTERN BANK, OPPOSITE THE TOWN OF IKOT OKPORO, WHICH IS ABOUT 35 MILES FROM CALABAR. THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE FEDERAL FORCES BEGAN SHELLING AROCHUKU STRAIGHT AWAY, UNDER THE COMMAND OF COLONEL BENJAMIN ADEKUNLE. AROCHUKU WAS FAMOUS IN THE PAST AS A CENTRE OF BLACK MAGIC AND IT WAS FEARED BY PEOPLE FROM OTHER AREAS. FURTHER REPORTS SAID THE BIAFRAN TROOPS WERE RETREATING WESTWARDS ACROSS THE CROSS RIVER. THE NIGERIAN MILITARY SPOKESMAN HAS DENIED A REPORT FROM BIAFRAN SOURCES THAT A BATTALION OF FEDERAL TROOPS HAD BEEN WIPED OUT WHILE ATTEMPTING A LANDING ON THE CROSS RIVER BANK.
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