Temporary Wooden Bridge over the Imo River

The Eastern Division railway was constructed between 1913 and 1916 primarily to transport coal from the Udi coalfields, discovered in 1909, to the coast for overseas export (At last, they remembered The Eastern Railway Corridor). While the line was originally planned to extend north to Kaduna to connect with the Western Division railway to Kano, the outbreak of World War I led to the postponement of this extension, resulting in the prioritisation of the 151 mile section from Port Harcourt to the Udi hills due to wartime coal demands (Bridge over Imo River - Ụkpụrụ̄).

In the Ngwo area, battles between local communities and British forces resulted in the seizure of lands, including those belonging to the Nike people, for the railway and the development of the city of Enugu (Bridge over Imo River - Ụkpụrụ̄). At Diobu, land belonging to the Ikwerre people was acquired by the Crown Colony in 1913, with the railway subsequently occupying more territory than was initially agreed upon (How The IKWERRE People Or RIVERS Lost PORT HARCOURT). Labor for the project was managed by British appointed warrant chiefs, who frequently used force to select local people to work on sections of the railway running near their communities (Bridge over Imo River - Ụkpụrụ̄).

Port Harcourt, where the railway terminated, is known locally as Igwuocha, meaning high cliff (Ownership Of Iguocha Or Port Harcourt). Historically, the area was divided into sections including the Diobu villages and the Diobu farm, the latter of which became the township including Borokiri.