Nde Sati Yilwat, a former Nigerian soldier who fought on the federal side during the Nigerian Civil War, has recalled a terrifying night in Owerri when he hid beneath bamboo leaves for hours after Biafran forces launched a counterattack, saying he prepared himself for what he believed could be his final battle.
Yilwat shared the experience during an interview on The Yellow Podcast, while reflecting on some of the most dangerous moments he encountered during the 1967–1970 civil war. His account focused on the period after Nigerian troops captured Owerri, only for Biafran soldiers to return under the cover of darkness.
According to the veteran, panic broke out among the Nigerian soldiers as the opposing forces advanced at night. He said many of his fellow soldiers fled the area, leaving only himself and another soldier behind inside a school building where they had taken shelter.
Describing the tense standoff, Yilwat said he hid beneath bamboo leaves throughout the night while listening as Biafran soldiers searched the premises.
“They were just going round that school. I took that bamboo leaf and covered myself from 7:00 o’clock to 6:00 o’clock in the morning. I continued praying that whoever picks that bamboo leaf that will be the time I will open fire even though they will kill me but I have also killed somebody too.”
He explained that throughout the ordeal, he remained motionless, believing that if his hiding place was discovered, he would have no choice but to engage the enemy despite the likelihood of being killed himself…..See More
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