Nyorai mberi kweiyi ndima - Iye nevamwe vake vehurumende vakabviswa pachigaro muna 15 Ndira 1966 mukubudirira kwemauto
, uye akanga ari wezvematongerwe enyika akatanhamara zvikuru kudzivisa kuurawa pashure pokubudirira. Azikiwe aive mutauriri weBiafra uye akapa zano mutungamiri wayo, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, panguva yeHondo yeBiafra (1967<unk>1970). Akachinja kuvimbika kwake kuNigeria munguva yehondo, uye akakumbira Ojukwu kuti apedze hondo mumapepa uye kubvunzurudzwa. "The New York Times" yakataura nezvematongerwe enyika ake, "Muhupenyu hwake hwose, mubatanidzwa waDr. Azikiwe nevokuchamhembe wakamuisa mukusawirirana naObafemi Awolowo, mutungamiri wezvematongerwe enyika weYoruba, rimwe boka rinokosha renyika rokumaodzanyemba".