Biafran Armed Forces
The Biafran Armed Forces were the military of the secessionist state of Biafra which existed from 1967 until 1970.
History
At the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War, Biafra had 3,000 soldiers. This number grew as the war progressed, ultimately reaching 30,000. No official support for the Biafran Army came from any other nation, although arms were clandestinely acquired. Because of this, the Biafrans manufactured many of their weapons locally.Some Europeans served the Biafran cause: German-born Rolf Steiner was a lieutenant colonel assigned to the 4th Commando Brigade, and Welshman Taffy Williams served as a major throughout the conflict. A special guerrilla unit, the Biafran Organization of Freedom Fighters, was established: designed to emulate the Viet Cong, they targeted Nigerian supply lines, forcing them to shift resources to internal security efforts.
Branches
Army
At the peak of Biafran military power, the Biafran Army was made of 5 divisions; numbered 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 101st. It also had 2 separate brigades, the S Brigade, a Pretorian guard for General Ojukwu, and the 4th Commando Brigade. It was commanded by Brigadier Hillary Njoku and later Major General Alexander Madiebo.Air wing
The Biafrans set up a small, yet effective air force. Biafran Air Force commanders were Chude Sokey and later Godwin Ezeilo, who had trained with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Its early inventory included two B-25 Mitchells, two B-26 Invaders,, a converted DC-3 and one Dove. In 1968, Swedish pilot Carl Gustaf von Rosen suggested the MiniCOIN project to General Ojukwu.By early 1969, Biafra had assembled five MFI-9Bs in Gabon, calling them "Biafra Babies". They were coloured green, were able to carry six 68 mm anti-armour rockets under each wing using simple sights. The five planes were flown by three Swedish pilots and three Biafran pilots. In September 1969, Biafra acquired four ex-Armee de l'Air North American T-6Gs, which were flown to Biafra the following month, with another T-6 lost on the ferry flight. These aircraft flew missions until January 1970 manned by Portuguese ex-military pilots.
During the war, Biafra tried to acquire jets. Two Fouga Magisters and several Gloster Meteors were bought but never arrived in Biafra, being abandoned on foreign African airbases.
| Aircraft | Origin | Number | Notes |
| MFI-9B "Biafra Babies" | Sweden | 5 | |
| Douglas B-26 Invader | USA | 2 | |
| North American B-25 Mitchell | USA | 2 | |
| de Havilland Dove | UK | 1 | |
| Fokker F27 Friendship | Netherlands | 1 | Ex Nigerian Airways and used as an Improvised Bomber. |
| Douglas DC-3 | USA | 1 | Improvised Bomber. |
| North American T-6 Texan | USA | 4-6 | ex-Armee de l'Air. |
Navy
Biafra had a small improvised navy, but it never gained the success of the air force. It was headquartered in Kidney Island, Port Harcourt, and was commanded by Winifred Anuku. The Biafran Navy was made up of captured craft, converted tugs, and armored civilian vessels armed with machine guns, or captured 6-pounder guns. It mainly operated in the Niger Delta and along the Niger River.| Ship | Origin | commissioned | Fate | notes |
| BNS Vigilance | ex-NNS Ibadan | 30 May 1967 | Sunk on 10 September 1967 | Ford-class seaward defence boat |
| NSS Bonny | ex-HMS Gifford | 1968 | Preserved at the National Nigerian War Museum | Ford-class seaward defence boat |
| Ikwerre | ex-Nigerian port authority tugboat | 1967 | Armed with a 105mm howitzer | |
| PC101 | ex-Nigerian port authority cutter | 1968 | Lost in July 1968 | Armed with 6-pounder and Bofors gun |
| PC202 | Nigerian tugboat | 1968 | Lost in July 1968 | Armed with a 105mm howitzer |
| PC203 | Nigerian tugboat | 1968 | Sunk in September 1968 | |
| PC204 | Nigerian civilian craft | 1969 |
Weapons and equipment used by Army and militias
| Type | Origin | notes |
| CZ-247 | Czechoslovakia | 300 bought at the beginning of 1967 |
| CZ-23 and CZ-25 | Czechoslovakia | 300 bought at the beginning of 1967 |
| Lanchester Mk I | ? | Some used by mercenaries |
| Type | Origin | notes |
| Pancerovka P-27 | Czech-made | |
| Type 56 RPG | Chinese-made | |
| SARPAC | French-made | Some from 1968 |
| Ogbunigwe Launcher | Biafran Research and Production |
| Type | Origin | notes |
| Canon de 75 modèle 1897 | Never used in combat | |
| Oerlikon 20 mm cannon | Hispano-Suiza | |
| M18/49 105mm howitzer | Czech-made | |
| Ordnance QF 6-pounder | ex-Nigerian Army | |
| Bofors 40 mm gun | ex-Nigerian Army | |
| OTO Melara Mod 56 | ex-Nigerian Army |