Bight of Biafra 1849, Britain established its military influence over the Bight of Biafra by building a naval base and consulate on the island of Fernando Poo, under the authority of the British Consuls of the Bight of Benin: On 6 August 1861, the Bight of Biafra and the neighboring Bight of Benin (under its own British consuls) became a united British consulate, again under British consuls: In 1967, the Eastern Region of Nigeria seceded from the Nigerian State and adopted the name of its coastline, the adjoining Bight of Biafra, becoming the newly independent Republic of Biafra. This independence was short-lived as
Biafran armed forces Biafran armed forces The Biafran Armed Forces (BAF) were the military of the secessionist state of Biafra which existed from 1967 until 1970. At the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War, Biafra had 3,000 soldiers. This number grew as the war progressed, ultimately reaching 30,000. No official support for the Biafran Army came from any other nation, although arms were clandestinely acquired. Because of this, the Biafrans manufactured many of their weapons locally. Some Europeans served the Biafran cause: German born Rolf Steiner was a lieutenant colonel assigned to the 4th Commando Brigade, and Welshman Taffy Williams served as a