HistoNaijaOpen the map

British conquest · 1879

A gunboat burns Onitsha

When British traders at Onitsha tried to leave with their goods after disputes with the town, the chiefs refused and stores were plundered.

See it on the old map

Overview

When British traders at Onitsha tried to leave with their goods after disputes with the town, the chiefs refused and stores were plundered. The gunboat HMS Pioneer was sent up the Niger; when its men were attacked while loading the goods, its commander shelled and burned the town, as the government told Parliament in February 1880.[1]Medium confidence

The account is the British government’s own, given in Parliament.

Who took part

  • British forces· Colonial force
  • Onitsha· Defended

What happened

  1. 1879 · Onitsha

    Onitsha shelled and burned

    The gunboat bombards the town and a landing party burns it.

Sources

Every claim carries a confidence level: high (well attested), medium (one source or approximate) or disputed (sources disagree).

  1. UK Parliament (Hansard). (1880). Africa (West Coast): bombardment of Onitsha. House of Commons debate, 12 February 1880 (cited elsewhere, not yet checked directly)