On August 12, 1967, in the early months of the Nigerian Civil War (the Biafran War), Enugu, the capital of Biafra, came under severe aerial attacks from the Nigerian Air Force, which struck the city, causing loss of life and destruction of infrastructure.
The airstrike on Enugu on August 12, 1967, marked the first instance of aerial warfare during the Nigerian Civil War. This signified an escalation in the federal military's strategy to curb the Biafran secession.
The attack occurred just three days after Biafran forces launched a surprise offensive in Nigeria's Midwest region on August 9, 1967, advancing rapidly toward the federal capital, Lagos.
The strikes targeted infrastructure and spread extensively across crowded civilian areas, markets, and residential neighborhoods. The bombings shattered the initial morale in the Enugu region, sparking panic and triggering internal unrest.
The aerial bombardments of August 1967 set a precedent for sustained aerial attacks throughout the conflict. This assault paved the way for ground offensives and the eventual fall of Enugu to federal troops on October 4, 1967, which forced Biafran leaders to relocate their capital further inland.