Operation Tiger Claw

Operation Tiger Claw (October 17–20, 1967) was a military conflict between Nigerian and Biafran military forces. The battle took place in the major port of Calabar. The Nigerian were led by the infamous Benjamin Adekunle while the Biafrans were led by Col. Ogbu Ogi. The aftermath was a major loss to the Biafrans because it cost the Biafrans one of their largest ports.

Background
On May 30, 1967 the Republic of Biafra declared independence from Nigeria. Biafra was created under the rule of Odumegwu Ojukwu. This was caused by the Anti-Igbo sentiment of 1966 which caused the deaths of thousands of Igbo people. One month after secession on July 6, 1967 Nigerian troops invaded Biafra at the Battle of Nsukka. The Biafrans soon capitalized and invaded the Midwestern Region of Nigeria which started the Midwest Invasion of 1967. The Biafrans kept control of Nigeria's midwest region and even created the Republic of Benin which fell to Nigerian troops on September 20, 1967. Before the end of the Midwest Invasion the Nigerians invaded the Biafran capital of Enugu. The Fall of Enugu ended on October 4, 1967 with a Nigerian victory. The Biafran capital was then moved to Umuahia where it remained for 2 years. On October 7, 1967 Nigerian troops took control of Bonny and made their way to Calabar.

Invasion
On October 17, 1967 Nigerians invaded Calabar. The Nigerians were led by the "Black Scorpion" Benjamin Adekunle while the Biafrans were led by Col. Ogbu Ogi, who was responsible for controlling the area between Calabar and Opobo, and Canadian advisor Lynn Garrison. The Biafrans came under immediate fire from the water and the air. An entire battalion of Nigerian troops led by Benjamin Adekunle landed on the Biafran shore. The next day on October 18 Col. For the next two days Biafran stations and military supplies were bombarded by the Nigerian air force. That same day Lynn Garrison reached Calabar but came under immediate fire by federal troops. Federal forces suffered heavy casualties during their assault. By October 20 Garrison's forces withdrew from the battle while Col. Ogi officially surrendered to Gen. Adenkule.

Aftermath
The day after the surrender all captured Biafran troops were forced to give up all of their weapons. After Operation Tiger Claw the two sides were met at a stalemate until the Capture of Port Harcourt. One day after the Capture of Port Harcourt Benjamin Adekunle with general Murtala Mohammed invaded the Biafran cities of Owerri, Aba, and Umuahia which started Operation OAU. Gen. Adekunle claimed that he could capture all 3 cities in 2 weeks but in reality it took 6 months and the Nigerians were unable to capture the Biafran capital of Umuahia. The Biafrans then took back the city of Owerri in January 1969. There were only minor scuffles until Nigerians captured Umuahia on December 24, 1969. The war finally ended on January 15, 1970 after the ending of Operation Tail-Wind.