The Federal troops gained the upper hand, and forced the Biafrans back to the Niger, where they crossed the bridge back into the Biafran city of Onitsha, which lies directly across from Asaba.
With the Midwest Invasion over the Nigerians returned to Nsukka and began planning an invasion of the Biafran Capital Enugu.
A number of Europeans served in the Biafran cause; German born Rolf Steiner was a Lt. Colonel assigned to the 4th Commando Brigade and Welshman Taffy Williams served as a Major until the very end of the conflict.
Only two days before Owerri's capture the Biafran capital, Umuahia, fell to Gen. Mohammed Shuwa's 1st Division and the capital was moved to Aba.
He returned to Nigeria in 1963, where he joined the Ministry of Justice in the Eastern Region of Nigeria, until 1967 when the Nigerian Civil War broke out and he joined the Biafran Army, rising to the rank of major.
At 3 A.M. on August 9, 1967 a mobilized division of Biafran soldiers under General Victor Banjo crossed the River Niger Bridge at Onitsha and entered Asaba.
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The 2nd Division then invaded Onitsha and managed to capture and hold onto control of the city for less than a day before they were surrounded and massacred by Biafran soldiers.
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Unbeknownst to General Banjo a unit of Biafran soldiers under Lt. Col. Oechi attacked the government residence of Mid-Western Region governor David Ejoor on the orders of President Odumegwu Ojukwu to capture Ejoor dead or alive, Ejoor's guards resisted the attacking Biafrans which gave Ejoor enough time to escape and flee to Lagos.
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The invasion began when 7,000 Biafran soldiers led by General Victor Banjo crossed the River Niger Bridge into Asaba.
On June 28, 1968 Umuahia was captured by Nigerian troops during Operation OAU but was re-captured by Biafran troops on July 23 that same year.