Capture of Owerri

The Capture of Owerri, (September 30, 1968 – April 26, 1969), was a military conflict between Nigerian and Biafran forces. The Capture of Owerri was a major victory for the Biafran's because of the fact that the victory opened up telephone lines, enhanced road tellecommunications, and showed that with stiff resistance Biafra could defeat Nigerian forces.

Background
After a wave of success in early 1968 the Nigerian General Benjamin Adekunle along with Murtala Mohammed began planning an invasion of the Igbo heartland but focused mainly on the cities of Owerri, Aba, and Umuahia. Adekunle even stated in a radio broadcast that he and Mohammed would be able to end the war within 3 weeks. Adekunle first attacked the city of Aba on May 20, 1968 after capturing Port Harcourt a day earlier. Adekunle underestimated the Biafrans and their leader Major Timothy Onwuatuegwu who numbered around 7,500. 4 days after fighting began Adekunle, knowing the odds of winning were against him, retreated to Port Harcourt to draw up new battle plans. On June 8 Adekunle attempted to invade the Biafran capital of Umuahia. Before Adekunle arrived in Umuahia the Biafran President Odumegwu Ojukwu escaped by helicopter and fled west to Owerri. Adekunle surrounded Umuahia and began a siege on the city and closing it off to the outside world. Biafran Major Timothy Onwuatuegwu employed some of his soldiers to attack Adekunle's camps at night and retreat back into the city using guerrilla tactics. On June 14 Adekunle attempted to enter the city with his remaining troops. Adekunle managed to get within a mile of Umuahia before he stopped to surround the city within a closer proximity. After a 13 day siege of the city Timothy Onwuatuegwu and his surviving 5,000 men escaped the city on the night of June 27. On July 23, 1968 Onwuatuegwu returned to Umuahia with 5,000 battle hardened soldiers. Adekunle did not properly defend the city and his men were quickly killed off by Onwuatuegwu's soldiers. On July 31 Adekunle retreated back to Port Harcourt for the second time in 2 months. On August 1, 1968 Nigerian General Murtala Mohammed invaded the city of Aba without any military assistance from Benjamin Adekunle. Mohammed surrounded Aba in hope of causing food supplies to run out quickly so the Biafran soldiers would be forced to surrender or slowly starve to death. Mohammed's men set up strategic points around the city and constantly bombarded the city with bombs and mortars. Biafran soldiers fought with all they had but the city finally succumbed to starvation and the remaining Biafrans surrendered to Mohammed's troops. On September 17, 1968 Benjamin Adekunle, now having been defeated twice by the same Biafran Major, attacked the less guarded city of Owerri which was being defended by Biafran Colonel E.A. Eutuk. Eutuk quickly became overwhelmed by Adekunle's constant bombardment on the city and was close to defeat. The Biafran President ordered Major Onwuatuegwu to assist Eutuk in the defense of Owerri. When Onwuatuegwu arrived in Owerri Benjamin Adekunle's men were overwhelmed by the ferocity of Onwuatuegwu's attack and decided to retreat to Oguta on September 20. Eutuk's men pursued Adekunle's retreating soldiers but Adekunle saw an open opportunity to ambush the pursing Biafrans. When Eutuk's men arrived in Oguta they were ambushed by Nigerian soldiers and were forced to retreat to Umuahia, leaving Owerri open to attack. Adekunle returned to Owerri and battled Major Onwuatuegwu for 9 days straight. On September 29 Onwuatuegwu retreated to Owerri and Adekunle occupied Owerri.

Battle
In September 1968 Gen. Ojukwu left battle plans in the hands of Gen. Okwechime. After the already ongoing battles of Operation OAU ended in October 1968 Gen. Ojukwu left Umuahia to Owerri. When Ojukwu arrived he ordered his men to surround the city and no to leave position which would start a siege of the city. Ojukwu then sent troops into the city to have the Nigerian forces to flee from the city and into the waiting hands of Biafran forces. On December 21 the Biafran 16th Division led by Maj. E.A. Eutuk attacked Adekunle's men who were already occupying the city. The same day the Biafran 68th Battalion led by Odumegwu Ojukwu surrounded the city, firing mortars and shells into the city. Most attacks by the Biafrans were counter-attacked by the Nigerians. On January 8, 1969 the Biafrans gained control of Owerri. On January 12 the Nigerian 3rd Division led by Benjamin Adekunle ordered an offensive against the Biafrans inside Owerri. Although the Biafrans lost the city they regained it within a few days due to the help of Carl Gustaf von Rosen. Although the Nigerians were gaining an advantage over the Biafran 16th Division Gen. Adekunle knew that the Biafrans would not give up. The Nigerians were quickly running out of food and ammunition and were constantly being bombarded by the Biafran air force led by Carl Gustaf. A Biafran commander named Ted Hamma joined Von Rosen's air force. By April 1969 the Biafrans had driven the Nigerians more than a mile away from Owerri. On April 19 the Biafran air force led by Von Rosen and Ted Hamma were flying over the surrounding area of Owerri when all of a sudden a missile launched by the Nigerian 15th Division struck the plane of Ted Hamma killing him instantly. On April 24 the Nigerian 15th Division led by Gen. Adekunle fought their way out of Owerri and made a beeline out of the area. On April 25 the Biafran 16th Division ambushed the retreating Nigerians and killed and captured many of their men. Gen. Mohammed Shuwa, who was trapped inside Biafran boundaries, fought his way out of the city and retreated to the forests. By this time most Nigerians had been kicked out of Owerri and on April 26 the remaining Nigerians surrendered to the Biafrans.

Aftermath
The aftermath left the Biafran's with new telephone lines and new roads around the city. This also was a major loss for the Nigerian's who at the time had total control over the war. In May 1969 the Nigerians invaded Oguta. Oguta was taken and was an advantage for the Nigerians if they decide to attack Owerri. On December 24, 1969 Umuahia was taken by Benjamin Adekunle's men and on January 9, 1970 Owerri was invaded and taken soon after.