Ex-Briafan soldier, Col. Joseph ‘Hannibal’ Achuzia, and a Nigerian civil war veteran, has died on Monday at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, Delta at 90.

The late Achuzia was a Major in the Biafran Army.

Mr Onyeka Achuzia, son of the deceased, who announced this to journalists at the deceased’s residence, No. 2 Idumojei Quarters, Asaba, said he died at about 8am on Monday.

He said that the remains of the decease had been deposited at the hospital morgue ahead of the traditional burial rights on a date yet to be announced.

“My father died around 8am this morning at age 90 in the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba.

“He was a traditional Chief of Asaba, the Ikemba of Asaba, so we have announced it to the Asagba in Council; it is a sad news to us.

“I could still not believe that he is dead, even when he was entering the FMC where he died, he was smiling; we never knew he was going to die because he was still strong in spite of his age.

“He had a little bit of illness, coupled with his age, we really miss him for he was such a good father,” Onyeka said.

Onyeka said that as the Ikemba of Asaba the news of his father’s death had been announced through a traditional gun shot.

He described his father as “loving, kind and best father,” adding that he would be greatly missed by the family.

Onyeka said his father was survived by a wife, children, grand children and other relations.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the late Achuzia was in Nigerian Army before joining the Biafran Army in May 1967.

After he was released from prison in 1970 after the civil war, he officially retired from military activities and became a prominent figure in Nigerian politics. (NAN)

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