Commando: Nigeria’s Fiercest Fighting Unit of the Civil War
During the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), many military units fought bravely, but few earned a reputation as legendary, and sometimes feared, as the 3rd Marine Commando (3MCDO). Stationed in the Niger Delta and commanded first by Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle, later by Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo, this unit became one of the most decisive forces that changed the tide of the war. Yet behind the public stories of victories lies a lesser-known, deeply human tale of sacrifice, bravery, and the brutal realities of jungle warfare.
The 3rd Marine Commando was formed specifically to fight under some of the toughest conditions of the conflict, creeks, mangrove swamps, flooded forests, and unpredictable waterways. Soldiers in this unit fought in harsh terrains where vehicles could not move, and the only safe transport was through narrow boats paddled silently at night. Many of these men could not swim, yet they went into water battles day after day because their mission demanded it. Their courage was built not on comfort, but on pure survival instincts and fierce loyalty to one another.
One of the untold stories about this unit was how they survived on improvised food and supplies, often going days without standard rations. Soldiers roasted yam over firewood, caught fish with bare hands, drank from the same waters they fought in, and used palm fronts as bedding. Malaria, snake bites, and infections killed almost as many men as bullets. Still, they pushed forward, because every creek captured meant a lifeline cut off from the Biafran forces.
During the intense battles to secure Bonny Island and later Calabar, the unit earned the nickname “the Amphibians” because of their ability to strike unexpectedly from water routes. One officer once described how they moved: “We fought like shadows. No one heard us coming. No one saw us leave.” They mastered silent paddling, coded whistles, and night maneuvers that confused the enemy. Their operations became a combination of traditional warfare and guerrilla tactics unique to the riverine geography.
However, the untold part of their story also includes deep emotional scars. Many soldiers carried the burden of watching their comrades disappear beneath water, bodies never recovered. Others lived with memories of villages burned, families displaced, and the terrible responsibility of fighting in populated riverine communities. What made their story remarkable was not just their bravery, but the quiet grief they bore long after the war ended, grief that many never shared until old age.
When Obasanjo took over command in 1969, he reorganized the unit, bringing structure to a group exhausted by years of grit. Under his leadership, the 3rd Marine Commando executed Operation Tail-Wind, the final operation that captured Owerri and effectively ended the civil war. But even in victory, many soldiers returned home uncelebrated, their roles lost in official reports, remembered only by those who survived beside them in the swamps.
Today, the 3rd Marine Commando’s story remains one of the most symbolic chapters of the civil war, a reminder of the courage of ordinary Nigerian soldiers who fought under extreme conditions not for glory, but out of duty. Their untold story is a tribute to resilience, sacrifice, and the unrecorded humanity of war.
Commando: Nigeria’s Fiercest Fighting Unit of the Civil War
During the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), many military units fought bravely, but few earned a reputation as legendary, and sometimes feared, as the 3rd Marine Commando (3MCDO). Stationed in the Niger Delta and commanded first by Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle, later by Colonel Olusegun Obasanjo, this unit became one of the most decisive forces that changed the tide of the war. Yet behind the public stories of victories lies a lesser-known, deeply human tale of sacrifice, bravery, and the brutal realities of jungle warfare.
The 3rd Marine Commando was formed specifically to fight under some of the toughest conditions of the conflict, creeks, mangrove swamps, flooded forests, and unpredictable waterways. Soldiers in this unit fought in harsh terrains where vehicles could not move, and the only safe transport was through narrow boats paddled silently at night. Many of these men could not swim, yet they went into water battles day after day because their mission demanded it. Their courage was built not on comfort, but on pure survival instincts and fierce loyalty to one another.
One of the untold stories about this unit was how they survived on improvised food and supplies, often going days without standard rations. Soldiers roasted yam over firewood, caught fish with bare hands, drank from the same waters they fought in, and used palm fronts as bedding. Malaria, snake bites, and infections killed almost as many men as bullets. Still, they pushed forward, because every creek captured meant a lifeline cut off from the Biafran forces.
During the intense battles to secure Bonny Island and later Calabar, the unit earned the nickname “the Amphibians” because of their ability to strike unexpectedly from water routes. One officer once described how they moved: “We fought like shadows. No one heard us coming. No one saw us leave.” They mastered silent paddling, coded whistles, and night maneuvers that confused the enemy. Their operations became a combination of traditional warfare and guerrilla tactics unique to the riverine geography.
However, the untold part of their story also includes deep emotional scars. Many soldiers carried the burden of watching their comrades disappear beneath water, bodies never recovered. Others lived with memories of villages burned, families displaced, and the terrible responsibility of fighting in populated riverine communities. What made their story remarkable was not just their bravery, but the quiet grief they bore long after the war ended, grief that many never shared until old age.
When Obasanjo took over command in 1969, he reorganized the unit, bringing structure to a group exhausted by years of grit. Under his leadership, the 3rd Marine Commando executed Operation Tail-Wind, the final operation that captured Owerri and effectively ended the civil war. But even in victory, many soldiers returned home uncelebrated, their roles lost in official reports, remembered only by those who survived beside them in the swamps.
Today, the 3rd Marine Commando’s story remains one of the most symbolic chapters of the civil war, a reminder of the courage of ordinary Nigerian soldiers who fought under extreme conditions not for glory, but out of duty. Their untold story is a tribute to resilience, sacrifice, and the unrecorded humanity of war.
