Kafin dai a kai ga tsunduma yakin basasa na Biyafara, za mu iya cewa komai yana da dalili. Al’amarin yakin ya samo asali ne bayan juyin mulki na farko da aka yi a jamhuriyya ta daya, ranar 15 ga watan Janairu 1966, lokacin ana da shiyya uku da suka hada da sashen Arewa, sashen Yamma da kuma sashen Gabas.
An kashe manyan shugabannin siyasa na Arewa da suka hada da Firayim Minista na farko, Sa Abubakar Tafawa Balewa da Firimiyar Arewa, Sa Ahmadu Bello Sardauna Sakkwato da wasu manyan jami’an sojoji ‘yan Arewa kamar Birgediya Zakari Maimalari, da Firimiyan Sashen Yammacin Nijeriya Samuel Ladoke Akintola da Birgediya Ademulegun.
- Munakisar Turawan Yamma A Juyin Mulkin Nijar –Farfesa Dikwa
- Yawaitar Juyin Mulki A Afirka Na Nuna Matasa Suna Neman Masu ‘Yanci – Obasanjo
Wannan ya sa wasu sojoji musamman na Arewa suka harzuka tare da kitsa juyin mulki na biyu a ranar 29 ga watan Yuli, 1966, lamarin da bai yi wa musamman ‘yan kabilar Ibo dadi ba, saboda wanda aka tuntsurar janar Aguyi Ironsi, dan asalin yankinsu ne.
Sannu a hankali har aka kai ga fara yakin duk da kafin a kai ga hakan akwai rigingimun siyasar da suka sa aka kirkiro wani sashe da ya kasance na hudu a lokacin da ake kira ‘Midwest’ wanda a lokacin Nijeriya ta kasance tana da sassa hudu ke nan, sai dai duk da hakan ba a sami wani al’amari na kwantar da wutar ba har dai abin ya kai ga fara yakin Basasar Nijeriya da ya dauki tsawon shekara biyu da wata shida da mako daya da kwana biyu ana yi, watau daga 6 ga Yuli, 1967 zuwa 15 ga Janairu 1970.
A tsawon lokacin da aka yi ana yakin akwai abinda aka yi da ake kira da suna ‘a ware’ da ke nufin ‘yan kabilar Ibo ko kuma Inyamrai da suke da zama a Arewacin Nijeriya suna gudanar da harkokinsu su koma gida kamar yadda su ma ‘yan Arewacin Nijeriya masu harkokinsu a can suka dawo gida.
Daga cikin manyan hafsoshin sojin Nijeriya da suka fafata yakin basasar bisa jagorancin shugaban kasa na wancan lokacin, Janar Yakubu Gowon, akwai Janar Hassan Usman Katsina, Muhammed Shuwa, Benjamin Adekunle, Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, Shehu Musa ‘Yar’adua, Murtala Muhammed, Olusegun Obasanjo, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, sai Sani Abacha da Abdulsalam Abubakar, bangaren sojan Nijeriya kenan.
Daga bangaren sojoji masu son ballewa daga Nijeriya a karkashin jagorancin Cief Odumegwu Ojukwu, akwai Philip Effiong, Albert Okwonkwo, Bictor Banjo, Ogbugo Kalu, Joseph Achuzie, Timothy Onwuatiegwue,da kuma Humphrey Chukwuka.
Daga cikin manyan hafsoshin da suka yi yakin dai, akwai wadanda suka yi nasarar zama shugabannin kasa, wasu a mulkin soja kawai, wasu kuma sun yi a mulkin soja da farar hula kamar Olusegun Obasajo da Muhammadu Buhari.
Masu mulkin soja kawai kuma, akwai Murtala Ramat Muhammed, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Sani Abacha, Abdulsalam Abubakar, sai Shehu Musa ‘Yar’adua da ya kasance mataimakin shugaban kasa a mulkin soja na Olusegun Obasanjo.