On this day, October 7, 1967, one of the most heartbreaking massacres in Nigeria’s history took place in Asaba, present-day Delta State. During the Nigerian Civil War, federal troops invaded the town and killed more than 2,000 innocent people. Their only “crime” was being accused of supporting Biafra.
The people of Asaba have lived with deep sorrow and trauma for decades. The massacre began on October 5 but reached its worst point on October 7, 1967, when hundreds of men, women, and children came out dressed in their best white traditional clothes (akwa ọcha), chanting “One Nigeria” to welcome the soldiers.
Sadly, the soldiers had other plans. They gathered the townspeople at Ogbe-Osowa and opened fire, killing hundreds of men on the spot. The once lively town was left in ruins — a town without men, filled with grief and silence.
The killings were reportedly ordered by Major General Ibrahim Taiwo, while General Murtala Muhammed supervised the operation. Ironically, years later, Taiwo himself was killed during a coup in 1976 — a reminder of the saying, “Those who kill by the sword shall die by the sword.” Witnesses like Dr. Uchenna Gwam, who narrowly escaped death, said the soldiers were on a revenge mission, believing the Asaba men were related to Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, who led the first coup in 1966.
The massacre continued in surrounding areas — Ogbe-Osowa, John Holt, St. Patrick’s College, and Umuehia — between late 1967 and early 1968. Many women were forced to bury their husbands and sons with their bare hands. Some were raped, others forcefully married by soldiers. Families were destroyed, and generations were lost.
Today, October 7, 2025, marks 58 years since that dark chapter. A cenotaph now stands in Asaba, with the names of the victims engraved on its walls. Yet, no apology, no justice, and no remorse have ever come from the nation responsible. The silence still echoes louder than the cries of the dead.
We remember our fathers, grandfathers, and brothers — the innocent souls brutally decimated in Asaba. It wasn’t just a tragedy; it was a wound carved deep into our history — a pain that time can never heal. May their souls continue to rest in peace, and may their blood forever water the soil of truth
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