Lt.-Col. Murtala Mohammed Addresses Mid-West on Recapture of Benin
This was the first broadcast (made on Sep 21, 1967) formally announcing the
recapture of Benin City. (6 p.m. September 20, 1967). Warri and
Sapele were captured simultaneously by Adekunle's 3rd division (under Yar A'dua)
in a single envelopment hook move through Koko.
My dear brothers and sisters of the Mid-Western State of Nigeria:
On behalf of Major-General Yakubu Gowon, Head of the Federal Military
Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, I, Lt.-Col. M.
R. Mohammed, do hereby officially confirm the complete liberation of
the Mid-Western State of Nigeria except Agbor and Asaba from rebel
soldiers. The inhuman atrocities suffered by all true Mid-Westerners
through the so-called Biafran soldiers, though short-lived, have
shocked all Nigerians wherever they may be. The molestation of
innocent civilians and the looting of their property and the
indiscriminate killing of men, women and children recently undertaken
by the rebel troops has ended. All Mid-Westerners in the areas where
the rebel troops have been crushed are free to move about as they
please. No innocent citizen living in any of the mentioned areas
will ever be molested again. The federal troops have been warmly
received by the Mid-Westerners everywhere they have gone. We
appreciate the friendship of the people and I sincerely hope that
this friendship will continue forever. I would like to assure the
people that my soldiers will do everything in their power to maintain
this friendship. With regard to Emeka Ojukwu and his rebel soldiers,
I., Lt.-Col. M.R. Mohammed, do hereby assure the people of Nigeria
and the people of the Mid-West in particular, that by the grace of
God, we will, in a very short time, crush the rebels in the
Central-Eastern State. To this end, I would like to advise all
innocent citizens of the Central-Eastern State to keep out of the way
of the federal troops. The march to Enugu continues , and anybody
that stands in the way of the federal troops will be regarded and
treated as a rebel. I have already dispatched my forces to deal with
the rebels around Agboh and Asaba. I would like to appeal to all my
brothers and sisters in the Mid-Western State of Nigeria to assist
the federal troops in locating, and in the eventual destruction of
the rebels that may be hiding around the Mid-West. It is necessary to
advise the people in Benin City to remain indoors from nine o'clock
tonight until six o'clock tomorrow morning as mopping-up operations
will continue. The Administration has suffered quite a lot due to the
mischief brought about by the rebel troops. On behalf of the head of
the Federal Military Government and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed
Forces, I appoint Lt.-Col. Samuel Ogbemudia as the temporary
administrator of the Mid-Western State of Nigeria. All officers and
men of the Nigerian Army based in the Mid-Western State of Nigeria
should report for duty immediately at the Military headquarters in
Benin City. Brothers and sisters of the Mid-Western State of Nigeria:
May God bless you all and good luck.
Compiled by NOWAMAGBE AUSTIN OMOIGUI, MD
