Armed Violence in South-east Nigeria
The South east of Nigeria is most notable for the Biafra war when under the leadership of late Lt Col Odumegwu Ojukwu in a struggle for self determination the republic of Biafra was declared in July 1967. Its geographical boundaries where poorly defined and highly disputed even by ethnic, cultural and political groups within the region, it included the 5 states that currently make up the region (Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo) and spilled over into parts of the Niger Delta states (Bayelsa,Delta, Rivers, Cross-rivers).
The Niger delta was already highlighted as the source of crude for the blossoming oil trade, therefore the Federal government did not tolerate this talks of secession and launched one of the most brutal civil wars of the 20th century with over 3 million dead by the end of the war.
Fast forward 55 years and agitations for secession have returned with a fervor like never before, in part fueled by the propaganda machine which is led by a self styled Biafran leader in the person of Nnamdi Kanu and funded mainly by donations from the ibo diaspora. For many years Kanu spewed hateful rhetoric over online radio stations, condemning the Nigerian state and its politicians, making claims of selective marginalisation and exploitation by the mainly northern elite. Skewing the judgement of the greater populace by appealing to their pride in self and superior business etiquette that comes natural to the ibos, all the while failing to point out that a market is firstly an agreed space(Nigeria), with traders(ibos) and buyers(Nigerians).
