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Col. Joe Achuzia Is Dead

Former Biafran warlord and elder statesman Colonel Joseph Achuzia is dead.

Col. Joseph Achuzia

Family sources squealed to us that Hannibal, as he was fondly called died on Monday February 26th, 2018 at about 8am at the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC), Asaba, Delta State.

We gathered that the gallant ex-Biafran soldier have been on admission at the intensive care unit of the hospital for some days before his demise. He died at the age of 90.

However, Mr. Onyeka Achuzie, son of the late Achuzia has announced the demise of his father… “My father died around 8am this morning at age 90 in the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba. He was a traditional Chief of Asaba, ‘the Ikemba of Asaba’, so we have announced it to the Asagba in Council; it is a sad news to us.”

“I could still not believe that he is dead, even when he was entering the FMC where he died, he was smiling, we never knew he was going to die because he was still strong in spite of his age. He had a little bit of illness, coupled with his age, we really missed him for he was such a good father.”

“As the Ikemba of Asaba the news of my father’s death has been announced through a traditional gun shot. My father is loving, kind and the best father. He will be greatly missed by the family. My father is survived by a wife, children, grand children and other relations.”

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For those who don’t know, Col. Joseph Achuzie was a soldier in the Nigerian Army before he joined the Biafran Army in May 1967 but fled to the southeast in fear of anti-Igbo sentiment among his fellow soldiers.

Gallant ex-Biafran warlord, Col. Joe Achuzia

After Biafran soldiers were forced to retreat across the River Niger Bridge into Onitsha on September 20, 1967 Achuzie was promoted to Major and given command of the Biafran 11th Battalion, responsible for defending the area between Atani and Ndoni from an imminent Nigerian attack. After the Biafran 18th Battalion under Colonel Assam Nsudoh was forced to retreat from Onitsha after 8 days of bloody house-to-house fighting, the 11th Battalion under Maj. Achuzie linked up with the 18th Battalion east of the city and made plans to counter-attack.

The 18th Battalion swung south along the Old Market Road while the 11th Battalion under Maj. Achuzie swung north along the New Market Road in a coordinated Pincer movement. The majority of the 5,000 man Nigerian 2nd Division stationed in Onitsha were either massacred or taken prisoner by Achuzie’s men. Two separate counter-attacks were made by the Nigerian 2nd Division in the days following the Biafran assault but were both thwarted by the 11th and 18thBattalions stationed in Onitsha.

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He was given total control of the Biafran 11th Division on January 19, 1968 by President Ojukwu once the Nigerian 2nd Division under Murtala Mohammed reached Awka, giving the Nigerians a direct route to Onitsha. The 11th Division under Maj. Achuzie managed to hold off the Nigerians for 2months until an offensive launched on March 20 resulted in the Nigerians breaking through the Biafran defensive lines surrounding the city, the final battle would last less than 24 hours. Nigerians were forced to pay with heavy casualties but they managed to capture Onitsha and forced the Biafran 11th Division to retreat to Nnewi.

On May 19, 1968 Maj. Achuzie was transferred to Port Harcourt and made commander of all Biafran soldiers within the city. Port Harcourt was subjected to heavy Nigerian artillery bombardment while defending Biafran troops fiercely resisted. During five days of heavy fighting, Port Harcourt’s airport and army barracks changed hands on numerous occasions but by May 24 most Biafran troops had been pushed out of the city into the surrounding areas.

He stubbornly continued to fight against the Nigerians before narrowly escaping death after almost being run over by an armored car; it was then that he abandoned fighting and retreated to Igrita. On September 22, 1968 he took part in an attempt to re-capture the Obiangwu Airstrip from the Nigerian 22nd and 44th Battalions but was instead forced to retreat.

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On March 15, 1969 the Biafran S Division under Major Timothy Onwuatuegwu made a frontal assault on the 16th Brigade but was forced to halt after suffering heavy casualties. Maj. Onwuatuegwu placed half of his men under the command of Maj. Achuzie and were able to get within 1km of the city. Major Achuzie demanded total control of the S Division but was refused by Onwuatuegwu and the two men almost shot each other after drawing their guns. President Ojukwu stepped in and gave Major Achuzie control of the S Division for one week, continuing the frontal assault on Owerri.

Achuzie’s plan ultimately failed and he retreated after suffering heavy casualties, Ojukwu then immediately restored Onwuatuegwu as commander. On January 9, 1970 President Odumegwu Ojukwu officially placed all remaining Biafran soldiers under the command of Maj. Achuzie and gave his vice president Philip Effiong his title of President. Three days later on January 12 Effiong, Achuzie, and other Biafran officers made their way to Amichi and later Owerri to broadcast their final surrender to General Olusegun Obasanjo.