Biafra Biafran troops. In the latter stages, a Southern FMG offensive managed to break through the fierce resistance. It is believed that one of the major factors that sparked the war was the unilateral declaration of independence for Biafra made by Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in 1967. He eventually died 41 years after the end of the civil war on 26th November 2011 (aged 78) after a brief illness, many years after the internal conflict, secession and war. The former Republic of Biafra comprised over of land, with terrestrial borders shared with Nigeria to the north and west, and with Cameroon
Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra in Anambra state arrested no fewer than 25 MOSSAB members who were marking their 16th anniversary; one MASSOB member was shot. At St Charles Lwanga Catholic Church Okpoko,18 members were arrested and one shot and at Iba Pope Catholic Church, while at Awada, 11 members of MASSOB were arrested. At Awka, two MASSOB were arrested by the police according to the MASSOB former Deputy Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha On May 31, 2013, President Goodluck Jonathan, a Niger Deltan Ijaw from Bayelsa State and from the South-South geopolitical zone, branded MASSOB to be one of three extremist groups threatening