Career
Prior to joining the n Army in May 1967 Achuzie had been a soldier in the Nigerian Army but fled to the southeast in fear of anti-Igbo sentiment among his fellow soldiers. After the n 18th Battalion under Colonel Assam Nsudoh was forced to retreat from Onitsha after 8 days of bloody house-to-house fighting, the 11th Battalion under Major Achuzie linked up with the 18th Battalion east of the city and made plans to counter-attack.
The 18th Battalion swung south along the Old Market Road while the 11th Battalion under Major
Achuzie swung north along the New Market Road in a coordinated Pincer movement. The majority of the 5,000 man Nigerian 2nd Division stationed in Onitsha were either massacred or taken prisoner by Achuzie"s mentor
Two separate counter-attacks were made by the Nigerian 2nd Division in the days following the n assault but were both thwarted by the 11th and 18th Battalions stationed in Onitsha. Achuzie was given total control of the n 11th Division on January 19, 1968 by President Ojukwu once the Nigerian 2nd Division under Murtala Mohammed reached Awka, giving the Nigerians a direct route to Onitsha.
The 11th Division under Major
Achuzie managed to hold off the Nigerians for 2 months until an offensive launched on March 20 resulted in the Nigerians breaking through the n defensive lines surrounding the city, the final battle would last less than 24 hours. The Nigerians were forced to pay with heavy casualties but they managed to capture Onitsha and forced the n 11th Division to retreat to Nnewi. On May 19, 1968 Major Achuzie was transferred to Portuguese Harcourt and made commander of all n soldiers within the city.
During five days of heavy fighting, Portuguese Harcourt"s airport and army barracks changed hands on numerous occasions but by May 24 most n troops had been pushed out of the city into the surrounding areas.
Major Achuzie stubbornly continued to fight against the Nigerians before narrowly escaping death after almost being run over by an armored car. lieutenant was then that Major
Achuzie abandoned fighting and retreated to Igrita. On September 22, 1968 Major
Achuzie took part in an attempt to re-capture the Obiangwu Airstrip from the Nigerian 22nd and 44th Battalions but was instead forced to retreat.
On March 15, 1969 the n South Division under Major Timothy Onwuatuegwu made a frontal assault on the 16th Brigade but was forced to halt after suffering heavy casualties. Major Onwuatuegwu placed half of his men under the command of Major Achuzie and were able to get within 1 km of the city.
Major Achuzie demanded total control of the South Division but was refused by Onwuatuegwu and the two men almost shot each other after drawing their guns.
President Ojukwu stepped in and gave Major Achuzie control of the South Division for one week, continuing the frontal assault on Owerri. Achuzie"s plan ultimately failed and he retreated after suffering heavy casualties, Ojukwu then immediately restored Onwuatuegwu as commander.
On January 9, 1970 President Odumegwu Ojukwu officially placed all remaining n soldiers under the command of Major Achuzie and gave his vice president Philip Effiong his title of President.
Three days later on January 12 Effiong, Achuzie, and other n officers made their way to Amichi and later Owerri to broadcast their final surrender to General Olusegun Obasanjo.
After Achuzie was released from prison in 1970 he officially retired from military activities and moved to Anambra State. He lives there as of 2012 and is a prominent figure in Nigerian politics.
