SPECIAL REPORT: FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER THE END OF THE NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR THE NEW MILITARY REGIME FACES FORMIDABLE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS.

Record ID: 177350

  • Title: SPECIAL REPORT: FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER THE END OF THE NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR THE NEW MILITARY REGIME FACES FORMIDABLE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC PROBLEMS.
  • Date: 7th January 1985
  • Summary: ***GRAPHIC MATERIAL*** BIAFRA & EASTERN NIGERIA: 1967: GVs & SVs Federal troops cross river. Artillery fire. Fires over Port Harcourt. Refugees in camp. Starving refugees. Federal troops take the town of Umuahia (16 shots) 0.50 NIGER: NIAMEY: 1968: GV Presidential Palace. General Gowon in military uniform. General Ojukwu in room. SV Ojukwu walks outside (7 shots) 1.13 NIGERIA: LAGOS:1975: SVs General Murtala Mohammed. Bullet-ridden car (6 shots) 1.39 LAGOS: 1975: SVs Chief Rotimi Williams with General Obasanjo (2 shots) 1.51 LAGOS: AUGUST,1983: Election posters. People voting in flooded streets; SCU Shagari speaking (SOT) (8 shots) 2.36 LAGOS: DECEMBER 31, 1983 & JANUARY 4, 1984: TRACKING SHOT Troops checking vehicles. SCU Major General Mohammed Buhari speaking. TOGO BORDER WITH BENIN: JANUARY 29, 1983: AV People at border. Border guards beating refugees (5 shots) 3.07 KADUNA OIL REFINERY, 1978: GVs &b SVs PAN Storage tanks. Signs. Men working in refinery (3 shots) 3.21 NIGERIA: LAGOS: JANUARY 7, 1984: GVs & SVs Market place. JANUARY 13, 1984: GVs & SVs Crowds outside type warehouse are beaten back by police. Indians and Nigerians in streets (6 shots) 3.36 NORTH EAST NIGERIA: YOLA: FEBRUARY 29, 1984. GVs PAN Burning building and debris. SCU PULL BACK TO GV Riot victim dead in street. President Buhari touring hospital and viewing injured (6 shots) 3.56
  • Embargoed: 22nd January 1985 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Conflict
  • Reuters ID: LVA40XLR3RIUC2SK7B1RP8AAE4YX
  • Story Text: VARIOUS LOCATIONS, NIGERIA

    It was 15 years ago, on January 15, 1970, that the Nigerian leader General Yakabu Gowon received the unconditional surrender of Biafaran forces. The civil war had lasted 30 months and killed some two million people. The real victims of the war were the civilians. Millions died and relief agencies were stretched to the limit as refugees as starved in the overcrowded shanty towns. The war reflected the tribal divisions in Nigerian society and began on May 30, 1967 when the then military governor of the Eastern Region, Colonel Odemegwu Ojukwu announced the creation of the independent Republic of Biafra. Since the war, there have been a number of coups and counter-coups, the last on December 31, 1983, which ushered in the military rule of Major General Mohammed Buhari. The government still faces widespread social and economic problems despite a massive drive against corruption by the military rulers.

    SYNOPSIS: The Biafran war followed more than a year of internal strife and growing federal government sanctions against the Eastern Region. Recruits for the Biafran army were mostly Ibo bush tribesmen. The Biafrans controlled the large strip of coastline bordering the Gulf of Biafra and included the important oil port of Port Harcourt. The Federal advance was swift and they soon captured the Biafran capital of Enugu. Seven months later they had recaptured Port Harcourt. As the war continued, it became obvious that millions of refugees had become the real victims of the war. Secessionist forces suffered a decisive defeat when Federal troops took the town of Umuahia. The war slowly ground to a halt but the human cost in suffering and death was high.

    Late in 1968, the head of the Government forces, General Gowon flew to Niamey in Niger for preliminary peace talks. Two days later General Ojukwu stated his position. But it was not until two years later that General Gowon received the unconditional surrender of the Biafran forces.

    In July, 1975 a group of army officers deposed General Gowon in favour of Brigadier Murtala Mohammed. It was a peaceful revolution which took place while General Gowon was out of the country. Brigadier Mohammed promised a new drive against inflation and corruption -- but six months later he was assassinated. Thirty people were later executed for his murder.

    His successor, General Obasanjo, pledged himself to a return to civilian rule. Chief Rotimi Williams was at the head of a constitution drafting committee.

    It was in 1979, that President Shehu Shagari was elected. Four years later he was re-elected among widespread allegations of corruption and election rigging. More importantly for Shagari's political future, the military were also said to be incensed by the corruption that financed his party's landslide victory. Shagari knew there were formidable difficulties ahead.

    New Year's Eve, 1983 and Nigeria experienced its fifth coup in 17 years. The new leader Major General Mohammed Buhari launched a major crack down on corruption and indiscipline. Buhari also followed his predecessor in deporting people entering the country illegally. President Shagari attracted international criticism when he deported about two million illegal aliens mostly Ghanaians, in January, 1983.

    Potentially, Nigeria has vast riches based on oil but the weak oil market has led to problems and increased the pressure on the Buhari regime. Oil production accounts for more than 95 per cent of export earnings.

    Inflation is currently running to as at least 30 per cent and prices in this Lugos street market have accelerated rapidly. The Government has introduced rigid restrictions on foreign exchange expenditure and, as a result, imports are in very short supply. Scenes like these outside a tyre warehouse are likely to be repeated in the coming months as remaining imported goods rocket in price. Other factors are a massive external debt and a stalled loan from the International Monetary Fund for 2.5 billion dollars based on the Government's refusal to devalue the naira.

    Underlying all the economic problems are the social tensions in a society which is based on differing tribal and religious loyalties. This was the scene in the north-east town of Yola less than a year ago. More than 1,000 people died and many were injured in a week of religious violence between Moslem fanatics. Fifteen years after the Biafran war plunged the country into chaos the spectre of tribal and social division still remains.

    <strong>Source: REUTERS LIBRARY</strong>

    SPEECH TRANSCRIPT: SHAGARI: "I welcome wholeheartedly and accept this great challenge and opportunity to serve my country as its chief executive. In doing this, I wish to call on all Nigerians to assist me in the difficult task ahead."
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