Forgotten Dairies
Three Things About Victor Banjo, the Yoruba Biafran Soldier Killed By Ojukwu
When the civil war broke out, Victor Banjo was released by then Biafran Leader Odumegwu Ojukwu who thought the Yoruba man will be a good addition to his army, even though he was against the move by Ojukwu then, he changed his mind with time as he led Biafran troops against their Nigerian counterpart, stories even had it that he almost captured Lagos for the Biafran when he led Biafran troops to Lagos
Lt Colonel Victor Adebukunola Banjo born April 1st 1930,was among the first set of Nigerians to join the Nigerian Army,he joined as a warrant officer in the year 1953 and he is the 16th Nigerian to be enlisted into the Nigerian Army,below are three interesting facts you don’t know about this young man
- Accused of coup plotting by the Nigerian Government—Even though he continously denied being involved in any coup,He was detained by the Nigerian government because he walked into the office of then head of State,Aguiyi Ironsi with a pistol attached to his trouser which seemed normal to him,he was jailed and transferred to prisons around the country until he was finally transferred to the east where fate brought him to Ojukwu.
2. Seen as a coup plotter again by The Biafran Government—When the civil war broke out, Victor Banjo was released by then Biafran Leader Odumegwu Ojukwu who thought the Yoruba man will be a good addition to his army, even though he was against the move by Ojukwu then, he changed his mind with time as he led Biafran troops against their Nigerian counterpart, stories even had it that he almost captured Lagos for the Biafran when he led Biafran troops to Lagos
3. Finally Killed By Ojukwu—How did such a vibrant Soldier ends up being killed by Ojukwu,In the heat of the war, Ojukwu accused Victor Banjo of being a traitor, an accusation which Victor denied till his death, Ojukwu then set up a military panel to try the late Victor Banjo but the panel could not find enough evidence to convict him of plotting a coup, Ojukwu quickly dissolved that panel and set up another who hastily concluded that he was guilty and therefore Victor Banjo was killed by facing a firing squad at the young age of 37 years leaving behind a young wife and 4 children
Up till this day, a lot of people believed Ojukwu killed Banjo because he is feeling insecure and not because Victor is really guilty of Plotting a coup as evidences point to the fact that these accusations were all based on hearsays,Let’s hear your opinion on this,was Ojukwu right or wrong in the Case of Victor Banjo?
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