A former mayor of Blanco City, Texas, Mike Arnold, has claimed that the British government opposes the creation of an independent Republic of Biafra because it wants to avoid paying massive reparations—estimated at about $6 trillion—to the people of the region.

Arnold, who has expressed support for the Biafra movement in the past, made this argument in a Facebook post titled “Britain’s bill is due.” In the post, he suggested that if Biafra becomes an independent nation, it could formally demand compensation from Britain. He described the potential claim as the largest reparations case in history, noting that the amount is roughly twice the United Kingdom’s annual GDP.

He argued that Britain’s role in Nigeria’s history—especially its actions before and during the Nigerian Civil War—amounts to a long-standing injustice against the Igbo people of the South-East. According to Arnold, the roots of the issue go back to 1914, when the British merged the northern and southern protectorates into one country without consulting the people. He described this as the beginning of structural problems that still affect the region today.

Arnold also pointed to events during the civil war in the late 1960s. He claimed that Britain supported the Nigerian federal government at the time, including supplying weapons, while publicly denying such involvement. He said this support contributed to the blockade of Biafra, which led to widespread famine and the deaths of millions, many of them children.

In his post, Arnold outlined how he arrived at the $6 trillion figure. He broke it down into several parts, including lost oil revenue from the region, compensation for lives lost, long-term structural damage from colonial policies, and additional costs related to humanitarian impact and military support. He said the estimate was based on historical records, including declassified British documents and oil industry data.

He further argued that an independent Biafran government could take such a claim to an international court. According to him, this possibility is one reason Britain prefers Nigeria to remain unified.

Arnold’s views are similar to those expressed by some pro-Biafra and Igbo self-determination groups. These groups have also accused Britain of playing a role in Nigeria’s internal affairs, including its stance on separatist movements and legal cases involving key figures in the Biafra movement.

The issue remains highly controversial, with strong opinions on all sides about history, responsibility, and the future of the region.