The 1968 Ubaghara Massacre Breaking 58 Years of Silence for the Victims of Biakpan, Ikun, and Etono

The 1968 Ubaghara Massacre
Breaking 58 Years of Silence for the Victims of Biakpan, Ikun, and Etono:

By Okoi Obono‑Obla
Lawyer, Writer, and Public Commentator

Introduction:
On 8 June 2026, I wrote about the genocide unleashed by Biafran forces on the Biakpan community in Biase Local Government Area on 2 April 1968. My account was based on testimony given to me in 1995 by an elder — a distinguished civil servant, academic, and soldier whose entire family was wiped out by Biafran soldiers.

At the time, I was a young lawyer in Calabar, still finding my footing. For publishing that article, I faced a barrage of personal attacks. Critics denounced me as a liar, a brainwashed man, and an agent of the Yoruba and Hausa people. Yet, I remained close to the elder who entrusted me with his story.

Today, I am gratified that people from Biakpan have corroborated my perspective, breaking decades of silence.

Eyewitness Testimony: George Agbor
George Agbor, a veteran of the Nigerian Civil War, offers this harrowing account:

“I was an eyewitness to the massacre of the Ubaghara people: Ikun, Biakpan, Etono Central, and Etono II. At that time, Etono II was still part of Biakpan. I am an Ikun man. My father, the Paramount Chief of Ikun, witnessed the holocaust. It was a massive decimation of the Ubaghara population.

The cause? Nothing — except that Dr. Kalu Ezera from Asaga Ohafia and Prof. Eni Njoku, also from Ohafia, sought to erase the Ubaghara people so that Ohafia could claim their territory if Biafra triumphed. They bribed Capt. Boniface Nwakama of the Biafran Army’s 9th Battalion with £300 to allow the massacre.

I was one of three Ikun boys who joined the Biafran Army afterward. Outwardly, we fought for Biafra; secretly, we sought to avenge the massacre by leaking information to Federal troops. I was deployed to Ekoli Edda sector under Capt. Agwu, liaising with Capt. Aliyhu of the Federal 27th Battalion. My friend, Sunday Kanu Onette, was sent to Arochukwu to liaise with Major George Innih of the 3rd Marine Commando.

Our plan was to lead Federal troops into Ohafia, hemming it in completely. But Arochukwu was not liberated in time. I was fatally wounded, and George Innih lost his way.

In Ikun, we lost about 400 persons, excluding those who died in refugee camps or elsewhere in Biafra. The massacre took place, as reported by Obono Okoi.”

Reflection
Fifty‑eight years have passed since these tragic events. They remain undocumented in Nigeria’s official war history, consigned to silence. Yet, some witnesses are still alive, and their testimony must be preserved — not to instigate hatred, but to honour the victims and ensure posterity remembers.

Denial or dismissal of these events is an assault on the memory of those who died on 2 April 1968. It is fitting that a memorial be erected in their honour.

Conclusion:
The killings of 2 April 1968 in Ubaghara demand acknowledgment. Eyewitness accounts like George Agbor’s affirm the dignity of the dead. Memorialisation is a moral duty owed to the victims and a step toward national healing. As time silences the last survivors, recording their testimony becomes ever more urgent.

Author’s Note
Okoi Obono‑Obla is a lawyer, writer, and public commentator. He has dedicated his career to documenting overlooked histories and advocating for justice and remembrance.