▁became ▁two ▁states ▁for ▁the ▁minor ities ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁eastern ▁region , ▁and ▁the ▁majority ▁Ig bo ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁eastern ▁region ▁had ▁a ▁state ▁called ▁East ▁Central ▁state . ▁S out he astern ▁state ▁was ▁renamed ▁Cross ▁River ▁state ▁and ▁was ▁later ▁split ▁into ▁Cross ▁River ▁state ▁and ▁Ak wa ▁Ib om ▁state . ▁R ivers ▁state ▁was ▁later ▁divided ▁into ▁R ivers ▁state ▁and ▁Bay els a ▁State . ▁ ▁Niger ian ▁Civil ▁War ▁The ▁people ▁of ▁the ▁eastern ▁region ▁suffered ▁heavily ▁and ▁sust ained ▁many ▁death s ▁during ▁ 1 9 6 7 – 1 9 7 0 ▁Niger ian ▁Civil ▁War , ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁B ia fran ▁War , ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁eastern ▁region ▁declared ▁an ▁independent ▁state ▁named ▁B ia fra ▁that ▁was ▁eventually ▁defeated , ▁thereby ▁pres erving ▁the ▁so vere ig nt y ▁and ▁ind iv is ibility ▁of ▁the ▁Niger ian ▁state , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁many ▁sou ls . ▁ ▁Non - vi ol ent ▁resistance ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁next ▁phase ▁of ▁resistance ▁in ▁the ▁Niger ▁D elta , ▁local ▁communities ▁demanded ▁environmental ▁and ▁social ▁justice ▁from ▁the ▁federal ▁government , ▁with ▁Ken ▁Sar o ▁Wi wa ▁and ▁the ▁Og oni ▁tribe ▁as ▁the ▁lead ▁figures ▁for ▁this ▁phase ▁of ▁the ▁struggle . ▁C oh es ive ▁oil ▁protest s ▁became ▁most ▁pron ounced ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁with ▁the ▁publication ▁of ▁the ▁Og oni ▁Bill ▁of ▁Rights . ▁The ▁ind ig ents ▁protest ed ▁against