16/05/2025
THE DAY BRITAIN BOMBED LAGOS TO END SLAVERY – WHAT THEY NEVER TOLD YOU!
In 1851, the British Navy launched a fierce attack on the port city of Lagos, in present-day Nigeria. Their mission? End the Atlantic slave trade that was still thriving under King Kosoko’s rule.
For days, cannon fire rocked the city as British warships battled defenders on shore. Eventually, Kosoko fled, and the British installed a new ruler—Oba Akitoye—who had promised to abolish the slave trade.
This wasn't just charity. Britain had banned slavery and was enforcing its policy across West Africa—by force if necessary. The bombardment of Lagos was loud, deadly... and the beginning of the end for the slave trade there.
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