Nigeria’s former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida has recounted his experience during the Nigerian-Biafra civil war that lasted from 1967 to 1970.
Babangida said he was nearly killed by the Biafran Obunigwe, also called Ojukwu Bucket
The Ogbunigwe was a series of weapons systems locally mass-produced by the Biafrans.
These weapons include command detonation mines, improvised explosive devices, and rocket-propelled missiles.
In his autobiography, ‘A Journey in Service’, which was presented in Abuja, the former military Head of State said his command, the 82 Battalion came under heavy bombardment from Biafran forces on March 27, 1969.
Babangida said the bombardment was uninterrupted despite the aggressive launched against the Biafran troops by the Nigerian Military.
He said, “Now, the attention of federal troops shifted to Umuahia. After the first attempt to take Umuahia by the Third Marine Commando failed, Colonel Shuwa gave that task to Lt-Col. Danjuma, who commenced the invasion of Umuahia just days before March 27, 1969. That attack would go on until April 24, 1969.
He added that as a Major at the time, he was serving as the Battalion’s commander, on a mission to capture Umuahia.
“But to get to Umuahia, we had to first go through Uzuakoli, a mere 13 kilometres away. On March 27, we came under heavy bombardment from Biafran forces. But somehow, we held our ground and bulldozed our way to the outskirts of Uzuakoli,” he said.
Babangida said although the process was not with severe costs, his battalion was able to attack and capture Uzuakoli on April 1.
He said that his troops were only a few kilometres away from Umuahia when the bombardment from the Biafran Army began.
“Not even our aggressive response to these attacks deterred them. It was during that fierce fighting that a Biafran Ogbunigwe shell wounded me.
“The shrapnel landed on the left side of my chest and came close, we would later find out, to affecting my lung. I was fortunate,” he stated.
He further noted that at first, he was not aware that he had been hit because he did not hear a shot or feel any impact due to the intense and prolonged fighting.
According to him, he only perceived the smell of something burning like human flesh.
“In those brief seconds, the wound didn’t hurt. Then suddenly, as I grabbed my chest and felt blood oozing out, I felt like a kick in the trunk had left me with a numb, throbbing pain. And then, my feet started to gradually go numb, first above the knee, then below it. At that point, I think I fell and had to be moved, and one of the other commanders, Mamman Vatsa, took over the command of my battalion.
“My casualty evacuation process was slower than my colleagues would have wanted. It was getting past dusk, and since the available makeshift runway lacked take-off and landing gears, an improvised runway had to be created from a convoy of military vehicles with their full lights on! Once that was done, I was promptly evacuated to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos,” Babangida noted.
Continuing, the retired General said despite the pain he felt, he was conscious throughout his evacuation.
“Even though I wasn’t sure of the nature of my injury, my spirit was upbeat. While I didn’t think I was about to die, I knew this would be a life-changing experience,” he added.
