Abo People Forced to Sign a Treaty With British Consul and National Africa Company

Although a relatively friendly treaty was signed in 1841, tensions soon rose between the Abo and the British. The conflict stemmed from British factories set up in the region and their refusal to pay tolls—the Abo’s traditional source of income. This loss of revenue led the Abo to loot British property. In response, the British marched in troops and razed Abo towns. The treaty ultimately followed a pattern that other Igbo communities would come to recognize.