3. - usaid

NIGERIA
CWMACTEFUSTICS OF THE DISASTER
EVENT:
Civil Strife
DATE-TIME: July 1967 through June 30, 1969
UXATION :
Eastern Nigeria
DISASTER VICTIMS: Estimated Deaths Estimated People in Need
&act figures not available. 1.5 million (FTG)
Possibly as many as - - 2.0 milliori (Biaf'ra)
1 million 3.5 million
DAMAGES: Estimated War Costs *
Physical Damage $ 700 million
.............
Foreign
-
Exchange and local
currency expenses .......... 756 million
$1.456
*Based on figures released to the news from Nigeria in
April of 1969.
This case study replaces the one in the Seventh Report. The emergency in
Nigeria continues. The AID Disaster Relief 'Coordinator took a major part
in USG disaster-relief operations thmugh December 31, 1968. &I
February 22, 1969, President Nixon announced the appointment of Ambassador
C. Clyde Ferguson as Special Coordinator for Relief for Nigeria/Biafra.
Wormation in this study contains data received from many sources through
June 30, 1969, to complete the fiscal year. Those parts bearing upon the
political conditions and situation are based upon reports issued by the
Department of State.
SYNOPSIS
The declaration of war by the Federal Military Government of Nigeria (FT4G)
against the Biafran secession was issued July 6, 1967. By the spring of
1968 the spectre of widespread famine caused worldwide concern. In the
fall of 1968 reports of thousands of people starving daily put great
pressure on many governments and relief organizations to save civilian
lives, particularly the cklldren.