Journal of Political Science and International Relations

Special Issue

Nigerian−Biafra War: Reinterrogating Indiscipline and Sabotage Among the Biafran Soldiers 1967 - 1970

  • Submission Deadline: 10 April 2020
  • Status: Submission Closed
  • Lead Guest Editor: Amiara Solomon Amiara
About This Special Issue
The Nigeria−Biafran war was an interstate military confrontation engaged in by the forces of Nigeria and Biafra between 1967 − 1970 as the former tried to maintain the cooperate existence of the country subsequent upon the latter expressing determination to break away from the national sovereignty of the federal republic. On the one hand, the Biafrans cited discrimination and political marginalization as the bane of the conflict. While on the other hand, it was the inability or rather the unwillingness of the Nigerian Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon to rectify the resolution of 'Aburi Accord' that precipitated the outbreak of the conflict. Consequently, the war that was perceived to be a police−match by the Nigerian troops had ended up in three years of bloodshed and destructions. Although, commentators and historians alike have done a lot of classical studies on the causes and the aftermath of the civil war, which no doubt have provided a framework for understanding and analyzing conflict in Nigeria, however little have been done to unpack the factors necessary for the Biafran troops unprecedented resilience, credence and military capability that repelled attacks from the Nigerian troops who had more firepower, external support and an organized trained army. It is against this backdrop therefore, that this paper argues that Nigerian soldiers gained prominence immediately indiscipline and sabotage began to intrude among the Biafran soldiers. Our objectives are to critically examine how internal squabbles and perfunctory attitude among the Biafran soldiers have combined to weaken their military capability and enthusiasm to win the war. Data were collected from secondary sources such as textbooks, journal articles and archival materials, while content analysis was applied in analyzing data collected for this study. The paper concludes that the 'cancer indiscipline', betrayal and sabotage have caused the Biafrans' dreams of actualizing sovereignty and recognition within the international community to be abruptly terminated.

Aims and Scope:

  1. Biafra
  2. Indiscipline
  3. Sabotage
  4. Civil War
  5. Nigeria
  6. Reinterrogating
Lead Guest Editor
  • Amiara Solomon Amiara

    Department of History International Relations, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

Guest Editors
  • Joseph Nkwede

    Political Science Department, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

  • Kenneth I. Nwokike

    Department of History International Relations, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

  • Uche U. Okonkwo

    Department of History and International Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

  • Paul O. Omeje

    Department of History International Relations, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, Nigeria

  • Nnaemeka Uwakwe Itiri

    History and War Studies Department, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Nigeria

  • Prof Austin Uchechukwu Igwe

    Department of History and International Studies, Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka, Nigeria

Published Articles
  • The Nigerian Civil War: There Was No Justification

    Okoro Innocent Agwu

    Issue: Volume 3, Issue 1, March 2020
    Pages: 1-8
    Received: 28 November 2019
    Accepted: 24 December 2019
    Published: 07 January 2020
    DOI: 10.11648/j.jpsir.20200301.11
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    Abstract: The war which was fought in Nigeria from August 1967 to January 1970 has generally been described as the most horrific experience in the African continent and has never been equated to any other war in the history of black African continent before or since then. The war later began to define several activities in Nigeria ranging from economy, socia... Show More
  • Nigerian−Biafra War: Re-interrogating Indiscipline and Sabotage among the Biafran Soldiers

    Solomon Amiara Amiara

    Issue: Volume 2, Issue 4, December 2019
    Pages: 101-107
    Received: 14 November 2019
    Accepted: 26 November 2019
    Published: 17 December 2019
    DOI: 10.11648/j.jpsir.20190204.14
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    Abstract: The Nigeria−Biafran war was an interstate military confrontation engaged in by the forces of Nigeria and Biafra between 1967−1970 as the former tried to maintain the cooperate existence of the country subsequent upon the latter expressing determinationto break away from the national sovereignty of the federal republic of Nigeria. On the one hand, t... Show More