MARKET IN VILLAGE; OBSERVERS; SOLDIERS IN MARKET; RED CROSS SUPPLIES; NIGERIAN COLONEL SHUA.




Initials GS/VS/PN/SIM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AN INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER TEAM HAS RETURNED TO LAGOS, THE CAPITAL OF NIGERIA, TO REPORT THAT IT HAD SEEN NO EVIDENCE OF INTENT BY FEDERAL TROOPS TO WIPE OUT THE IBOS IN THE CIVIL WAR.

IN THE TEAM WERE MAJOR-GENERAL HENRY ALEXANDER OF BRITAIN, MAJOR-GENERAL WILLIAM NILROY OF CANADA, MAJOR-GENERAL ARTHUR RAAB, OF SWEDEN, AND MR.NILS GUSSING, THE SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL, U THANT. THE OBSERVERS WERE INVITED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO INVESTIGATE BIAFRAN CLAIMS OF GENOCIDE.

A REPORT FROM THE TEAM SAID THE USE OF THE TERM GENOCIDE HAD IN NO WAY BEEN JUSTIFIED. THIS FILM SHOWS MEMBERS OF THE TEAM DURING VISITS TO THE EASTERN NIGERIAN VILLAGES OF ABAKALIKI, AFIKPO AND ENUGU. THE TEAM WAS WITH THE FEDERAL FIRST DIVISION, COMMANDED BY COLONEL MOHAMMED SHUA.