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The Igbo people of south-eastern Nigeria have more reason than ever to seek independence, the leader of the region's 1960s separatist group says.

On the 40th anniversary of the start of the Biafran war, in which more than 1m died, Emeka Ojukwu told the BBC that Igbos were still marginalised. [...]

"What upsets the Igbo population is we are not equally Nigerian as the others," he said.

Such feelings led to Mr Ojukwu's declaration of independence on 30 May 1967.

Five weeks later the first shots were fired in the three-year war, in which more than 1m people died, mostly from hunger.

Mr Ojukwu said he regretted the war and the deaths but said he was proud that his people had fought back.

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