May 28 2020 | Radio Biafra
Biafra Navy In-Retrospect
Biafra Navy was one of the top-notch greatest idea presented to the then President of Biafra – Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in the heat of that war over the Nigerian government Federal troops invasion of Biafra territory through the sea and other Biafra water ways. President Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu as a learned man of his time heeded, heralded to the immediate establishment of the Biafra Navy. Though the Biafra Navy unit did not record as much success as the Land Force and Air Force unit of the Biafran Army, during the genocidal was of 1967 to 1970.
The Biafra Navy did not mark much success as a result of sabotage by some sell-outs from the Biafra aqua-zone regions, these set of saboteurs were guiding compasses to the Nigerian government Federal troops to invade Biafra through our water ways from the creek, rivulets, puddles, rivers and open sea [lentic and lotic] aqua zones that it became too hard for the Biafra Navy to know from the source where the enemy is coming and attacking from.
Biafra had only a small improvised Navy, hence it never gained the success of the air force back up while they were seafaring to battle the enemy at the high sea. The Biafra Navy was headquartered in Kidney Island, Igweocha (Port Harcourt), and was commanded by Winifred Anuku. The Biafran Navy was made up of captured crafts, converted tugs, and armoured civilian vessels armed with machine guns, or captured 6-pounder guns. It mainly operated in the coastal region of Biafra land and along the Niger River.
Despite the not too many successful outings of the Biafra Naval force of the people’s Army, Biafra Navy courageously battled for the creek and coastal region of Biafra to safeguard her from infiltration; Biafra Naval Base tenaciously waged war against the Nigerian 3rd Marine Commando in Bonny high sea is worthy of note and commendable. It was a really tensed battle, they defiled all odds to confront an Army of Nigerian Federal troops well-fortified. Biafra lost the war through her water ways because it was porous enough and many people sabotaged her Naval plans on how to attack the invading enemy.
Though it was never a sweet pill for the third marine Commando of the Nigerian government troops when they had encounter with the Biafra Naval troops, this they did to defend this land of Biafra, and like every hero and heroine who fought to defend this land of our fathers and mothers, we hold them in a very high esteem. Your efforts and sacrifices rendered to the survival of your Biafran stock shall never be in vain, that which you laboured for, we are here to accomplish, and we say never again.
On 30th May 2020 we shall remember and honour you all.
Published by:
Chibuike John Nebeokike
For: Radio Biafra Media
