Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in West Africa that separated from Nigeria and existed from May 1967 to January 1970. Its territory consisted of the various ethnic nationalities in the defunct Eastern Region of Nigeria. Biafra was formed by the various ethnic nationalities in the defunct Eastern Nigerian nationalists who were facing state-organized ethnic cleansing sponsored by Nigerian government. The Eastern Nigeria Consultative Assembly mandated the then governor of the Eastern Region, Lieutenant Colonel Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu to declare Biafra Republic, leading to the Nigerian Civil War. Nigeria declared war on Biafra shortly after its declaration of independence, eventually resulting in the defeat of Biafra and the reunification of the two states.
Biafra was formally recognized by Gabon, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, and Zambia. Other nations, which did not give official recognition but provided support and assistance to Biafra, included France, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Rhodesia, South Africa, and Vatican City.