[size=14pt]Cache of Civil War arms found in Imo[/size]

on MAY 23, 2011 · in NEWS

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

OWERRI – A large cache of assorted arms buried by Biafran soldiers during the 30-month Nigeria/Biafra war, which ended in 1970, has been found at Saint Patrick’s Secondary School, Ogbe, Ahiara, Ahiazu Mbaise local council area of Imo State.

The shocking discovery included rifles, ammunition of various calibers, conventional live mortar bombs and the famous locally made Ogbunigwe and Ojukwu Buckets.

Already,  out-going Imo State governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, has described the discovery as “not only shocking but also clear evidence that some areas of the state remain unsafe for human habitation”.

Ohakim, who was reacting during an interview in Owerri, said he was optimistic that the Federal Ministry of Defence will do everything possible to make the war-ravaged states safe for human habitation and activities.

Vanguard gathered that a native of Ahiara, Mr. Cajethan Ndulaka, who raised the alarm, recalled that he was still a student of Saint Patrick’s Secondary School when the landmines, bombs, rifles, ammunition and other explosive remnants of the war were buried.

It was equally gathered that as at the time of going to press, no fewer than 68 types of mortar bombs had been recovered from the dumps located in the school.

“There are other arms dump sites in and around the school compound. These dangerous ordinances were buried in the college compound to prevent accidental explosion that would have killed the students,” Ndulaka recalled.

Noting that the villagers did not know that the unexploded ordinances were potential threat to the lives of the students, even as they were buried in the school compound, Ndulaka also recalled that the school served as a barrack for Biafran soldiers.

“The school served as a barrack for Biafran Army engineers, who made and stockpiled arms and ammunition in the school during the war.”

Should be sent to the military museum in Abia for storage and exhibition.

This story back my earlier versions of event was right when I said a couple  of years ago that Biafran soldiers were told two days before the official anouncement that the hostility is over. When those in my unit asked our commanding officer (Ewan Ephraim Henshaw) what we should do with the arm, since there were no official surrender of arm? His response was, do whatever you wish with it or bury them.

And that is exactly what myself and four of my best friends I met as BIAFRAN soldiers did, we buried all our assorted arms there in Ogoja. I can still picture the spot right now and then began a long walk home from Ogoja to the present day Imo state.

But majority our guys as I learnt went home with their stuffs to keep, of which many, out of desperation for money to feed took to places like Lagos, Benin and the north and sold them to Nigerian civilians and probably crimininal element for cash, once the Gowon/Awolowo confisticated our little remaing cash as punishment.

And I have no doubt, that is where the foundation of violent crime (a.k.a armed robbery) was laid, because before the war, armed robbery are two foreign words in that damn country. It only took a year or two after the war ended that the first Nigeian known notoriuos robber (Idowu Oyelusi) emerged and since then since has never been the same.

Eziachi:

This story my version of event right when I said a couple of years ago that Biafran soldiers were told two days before the official anouncement that the hostility is over. When those in my unit asked our commanding officer (Ewan Ephraim Henshaw) what we should do with the arm, since there were no official surrender of arm? His response was, do whatever you wish with it or bury them.

And that is exactly what myself and four of my best friends I met as BIAFRAN soldiers did, we buried all our assorted arms there in Ogoja. I can still picture the spot right now and then began a long walk home from Ogoja to the present day Imo state.

But majority our guys as I learnt went home with their stuffs to keep, of which many, out of desperation for money to feed took to places like Lagos, Benin and the north and sold them to Nigerian civilians and probably crimininal element for cash, once the Gowon/Awolowo confisticated our little remaing cash as punishment.

And I have no doubt, that is where the foundation of violent crime (a.k.a armed robbery) was laid, because before the war, armed robbery are two foreign words in that damn country. It only took a year or two after the war ended that the first Nigeian known notoriuos robber (Idowu Oyelusi) emerged and since then since has never been the same.

Interesting. Thanks for your perspective Pa Eziachi. Its always nice to have first hand info concerning events of that era.

Interesting