ABSTRACT
Over the years, the Nigerian civil war of 1967-1970 and the role of international powers in the Nigerian civil war is one of the events that have drawn much interest. Many authors on the Nigerian civil war and the role of international powers in the war had most times failed to give a clear and vivid explanation on the enormous role Soviet Union played during the war, it is important to note that Soviet enormous and encouraging role in the Nigerian civil war set the Federal Government of Nigeria on the path of success during the war through providing military and economical aid that the federal government of Nigeria needed in the course of the war. Set the federal government of Nigeria on the path of success during the war.
In the course of this research, with the aid of secondary sources which include textbooks, journals, newspapers, magazines and other materials which help to give a detailed and explicit explanation on this research topic. It is clearly outlined in this project that Soviet-Nigeria relations prior to the Nigerian civil war was stained and unfriendly because Nigeria wanted nothing to do with Soviet Union after independence due to fact that Soviet Union was wrongly perceived with only suspicion but also contempt as a result of the myth of “Soviet abhorrence of peace”, Nigeria maintained her foreign policy of neutrality towards Soviet Union even though she was pro-west in nature. Nigeria played strict in observing her policy of neutrality towards Soviet Union, politically, economically, socially and otherwise. The Nigerian civil war of 1967-1970 became a turning point in the Nigerian foreign policy in her relationship with Soviet Union because Soviet union during the war proved to be a friend in need and a friend indeed in the sense that she provided military arsenal and endured with Nigeria till the end of the war, thus it could be ascertained that the involvement of Soviet Union in the Nigerian civil war of 19671-970 played a crucial part in the final determination of the conflict. The war which attracted foreign powers like France, United States, Britain and Soviet Union, saw Soviet Union at the lead or better still at the top of the game. It is important to note that it was the amount of help rendered to Nigeria by Soviet Union and the momentum at which Soviet Union backed that made Britain and U.S.A to reluctantly give in to assisting the federal government of Nigeria with arsenal for the war. Although, the war was declared “No victory, No vanquished,” the federal government of Nigeria clearly won the war.
