When Nigeria became an independent state in October 1960 the newly formed government consisted mainly of northern politicians from the Hausa-Fulani ethnic group.

All of the chaos that occurred in the political ralm gave was to the 1966 Nigerian coup d'etat in which 11 senior politicians were killed by soldiers led by the Army Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna.

On July 29, 1966, Ironsi was assassinated by mutinous soldiers which included William Walbe after they wrestled command from Theophilus Danjuma and installed Colonel Yakubu Gowon as Head of State.

The counter-coup resulted in the 1966 anti-Igbo pogrom and caused the brutal massacre of 50,000 Igbo civilians living in various northern cities such as Kano and Kaduna.

It is said that from all indications the decision to secede had already been made around late 1966 by Ojukwu and his closest confidants which included Louis Chude-Sokei, Christopher Okigbo, and the very influential CC Mojekwu.

For 10 days the Nigerian Army fought its way southward and managed to capture the towns of Nsukka, Ogugu, Ogunga, Ogoja, Gakem, and Obudu while also forcing defending Biafran troops to retreat in disarray.

16 days after the Biafrans retreated Nzeogwu attempted to regain control of Nsukka on July 30 but was killed by Nigerian soldiers while driving down a road.

The Nigerian Army were successful in their conquest of Nsukka, and then continued their onslaught towards Enugu though at a slower pace because of the invasion of the mid-western region.