Major chukwuma kaduna nzeogwu, made in an interview with dennis ejindu africa and the world may 1967 after the coup. Later as major general, and the most senior serving indigenous military officer in nigeria, he became the head of the nigerian army in february 1965. Read all the latest news, breaking stories, top headlines, opinion, pictures and videos about military coup from nigeria and the world on today. In the early hours of january 15, 1966, citing a laundry list of complaints against the political class, there was a military rebellion in nigeria against the first republic. The author, a highranking officer in the government toppled by nigerias fourth coupdetat, offers a detailed account of the coup and nigerias history leading up to it, as well as a discussion of what lessons can be learned from it for nation building in africa.
Military rule became dominant feature of government in nigeria only after political independence. When the wai was extended to journalists and others not responsible for the social. T he inside story of nigerias first military coup part 1. Editorial seventeen and half months of nigerias third democratic experiment coincides with 35 years after the first military coup detat was hatched in the country.
The nigerian military, in our opinion, is on record to have been viciously attacked by amnesty international and its agents in nigeria. Instead, major general johnson aguiyi ironsi, commander in chief of the army, became nigerias first military ruler. Why the orkar coup failed, and how col uk bello was killed. After the january 1966 coup, a succession of military governments led nigeria for thirteen years until a military regime headed by general olusegun obasanjo the current democratic president restored the country to civilian democratic rule in 1979. There have been a large number of successful and failed military coups in nigeria since the countrys independence from the british empire in 1960. There is a tragic postscript to the widely held but false presumption that the january 15 coup preempted an inevitable military operation to. Introduction the military is a peculiar organization in several respects. Nigeria, us begin military summit in abuja prnigeria news. The nigerian army has been lambasted following a clash with civilians while parading a new armoured carrier and passed through nnamdi kanus residence.
The first military coup in nigeria took place on january 15, 1966, this will forever be remembered in nigeria because it was the first time that the nigerian military ever thought of taking power which led to a series of dark moments in the countrys history never before in the history of nigeria had anyone thought of a coup. The unsuccessful coup of 15 january 1966 lead to the death of the prime minister, sir abubakar tafawa balewa and many others. It may have been quiet and bloodless but it was a coup all the same. April 1990 coup detat speech on nigerias social and. Unfortunately the military struck in january 16 1966 and ruled the country for over 30 years. However, he was killed a few months later, and was followed by ltcol yakubu gowon from the christian north. Military regimes and nation building in nigeria, 19661999.
Top 8 facts about the first military coup in nigeria. Nigerias first successful military coup by sesugh akume. We all know that nigerias first military coup took place on january 15 1966. By the end of 1983, the civilian government in nigeria was overthrown by a military coup led by majorgeneral muhammadu buhari.
The june 12 crisis radically changed the nigerian populaces relationship with the military and a military coup in modern nigeria would be met with massive civil opposition and sanctions from the international community. Nigeria the 1966 coups, civil war, and gowons government. The history of coup detat in nigeria it is all about. Nnamdi azikiwe and nigerias first military coup youtube. Akintola, the premier of western region, sir abubakar tafawa balewa, prime minister of nigeria, chief festus okotieeboh, federal.
On this date in 1990, nigerian major gideon gwaza orkar and dozens of others were shot for a coup attempt against that countrys military strongman, gen. The coup began as a mutiny at roughly midnight on july 28, 1966 and was a reaction to the killings of northern politicians and officers by mostly igbo soldiers on january 15, 1966 see 1966. However the actions and motivation of the principal actors has been the subject of misintepretation over the years. Niger government toppled in military coup cbs news. Babangida, which abubakar alleged was carried out by col. The events of january 15, 1966 was the first time ever that. Nyiam and major orkar, the coup leaders, disagreed on the killing of col. Sam momah, a retired major general, served as minister of science and technology during the military regime which terminated in 1999. The first military coup in nigeria january 15, 1966 coup. In analyzing the three coups after 1981 chronologically. Buhari against the transfer of civil duties to the military. Radio broadcast by major chukwuma kaduna nzeogwu announcing nigerias first military coup on radio nigeria, kaduna on january 15, 1966 culled from vanguard newspaper on september 30, 2010 in the name of the supreme council of the revolution of the nigerian armed forces, i declare martial law over the northern provinces of nigeria. It is time for every nigerian to consciously resolve to stand up to support the nigerian military in the counterinsurgency war.
Fellow nigerian citizens, on behalf of the patriotic and wellmeaning peoples of the middle belt and the southern parts of this country, i, major gideon orkar, wish to happily inform you of the successful ousting of the dictatorial, corrupt, drug baronish, evil man, deceitful, homosexuallycentered, prodigalistic, unpatriotic administration of general ibrahim. International responses to coups are best summarized with a single word. History of coup detat in nigeria the first coup in nigeria on january 15, 1966, chukwuma kaduna nzeogwu led the first ever military coup in nigeria that led to the death of sir ahmadu bello, the sardauna of sokoto and premier of northern nigeria, chief s. Ibrahim babangida orkar was the guy on state radio early on the morning of april 22 announcing the revolution on behalf of the patriotic and wellmeaning peoples of. Since leaving the military, momah has spent most of his time writing books on the. Finally, relaxing the assumption that any military government has a higher quality than a bad. How 1966, 1975 and 1983 military coups destroyed nigeria. Power seized in armed coup jump to media player by the end of 1983, the civilian government in nigeria was overthrown by a military coup led by majorgeneral muhammadu buhari.
One enduring myth is that nigerias first military coup was carried out by five igbo majors. It would take civilian misrule of cataclysmic proportions for nigerians to tolerate military rule ever again. Nigerian military in the past 3 years leadership newspaper. The inside story of nigerias first military coup part 1. The final step determined the future path of nigeria and its army after the birth of nigeria s third republic. On this day, january 15 1966, the first military coup in nigeria was staged by a group of nigerian soldiers read more. Buhari repeating mistakes that caused 1966 coup, afenifere warns. The 1966 nigerian countercoup, or the socalled july rematch, was the second of many military coups in nigeria. The first military coup in nigeria took place on january 15, 1966.
Coupfriendly institutions and apolitical militaries. The military coup of 1966 brought him into limelight as head of state and commanderinchief of the armed forces, but was killed seven months later on july 29, 1966 in another coup detat. The balewa led administration could not help matters and the young military boys felt they will do better. The coup failed to bring the young turks who led it to power but it did result, through a complex and controversial series of events, in the emergence of a military regime led by general ironsi. General gowon pledges support for the military government which has deposed him july 31st 1975 duration. Dasuki and all the armed services and intelligence chiefs and others at the nigerian military may have succeeded in committing a coup against the constitution, but they cannot twist history. The problems of nation building in nigeria, most of which are congenital, dating to the birth of the. Kaduna nzeogwu on this day january 15, 54 years ago 1966, five army majors and accomplices of the nigerian military read more. This result is consistent with the case of nigeria 19662000. The coup leaders were backed by a combination of officers and junior officers. Following the humble beginning of the nigerian army in the immediate postcolonial era, expectations were high with respect to the positive roles that the military can play towards the economic and sociopolitical transformation of the country.
A military coup is the violent or nonviolent overthrow of an existing political regime by the military. First military coup halted nigerias development momah. The first coup in 1966 was a result of the deteriorating situation in western nigeria where politicians had failed to find a solution. Babangidas chief security officer cso, recently spoke on why the orkar coup failed. On 15 january 1966, a group of young, idealistic, uktrained army majors overthrew nigerias democratic government in a violent military coup.
In this interview, he blames the entire problems of nigeria on the three military coup detats of 1966, 1975 and 1983, as he forecasts that getting out of the current economic recession may not. In the name of the supreme council of the revolution of the nigerian armed forces, i declare martial law over the northern provinces of nigeria. On december 31, 1983, the military seized power once again, primarily because there was virtually no confidence in the civilian regime. The conclusion recommended an increase in military to military contact with nigeria to. Nigerian militarys invasion of nnamdi kanus house is. D in strategic studies, he was categorized among the emerging generation of intellectuals in the nigerian military. The first successful coup in nigeria took place on 16 january 1966. Speech by major kaduna nzeogwu announcing the first coup. The first military coup in nigeria was staged in 1966. Before proceeding to the analysis, it would be convenient to.
The army returned to power again in 1984 and did not leave until 1999. The person in power at that time was president nnamdi azikiwe, while. Nigeria has therefore been governed for a longer period over thirty years of her independence by the military. A military coup in 1966 brought majorgeneral johnson aguiyiironsi, an ethnic ibo from the eastern region, to power. He posited that some of the policies they pursued, along with all the coups. Why nigeria has not experienced military coup since 1999. Relations became extremely poor between the federal government and the ibos of the eastern region.
Men of the nigeria army a professor of english at carleton university and social commentator, pius adesanmi has condemned the invasion of nnamdi kanus house by men of the nigerian army resulting. Nigeria became an independent country in october 1 st 1960 after about a century occupation by the british colonial masters. How first coup still haunts nigeria 50 years on bbc news. Military coup news latest breaking stories and top. Buhari repeating mistakes that caused 1966 coup, afenifere. The nigerian army and national development since the civil. The coup was carried out by young officers in the nigerian army, and it was also a boldly one, making it the first bloody coup in the history of the country.
Some of the remote causes of the coup included the use of soldiers to quell unrest, such as the riots among the tiv people of the lower northern region. Buhari justified his coup and subsequent actions by citing the troubles of the second republic and the declining economy. The inside story of nigerias first military coup 2. One enduring myth is that nigeria s first military coup was carried out by five igbo majors. Obasanjo, who first ruled nigeria as a military head of state between 1976 and 1979, later governed the nation as a democratically elected leader between 1999 and 2007. To say that the military had undertaken very active roles in the constructive transformation and economic development of the nigerian nation is an. Political killings had risen to a dangerous level and the whole country was heading towards chaos and disaster. M haruna, a lawyer and war veteran was a former federal commissioner for information, adjutant general and former goc of one division, kaduna. Colonel murtala muhammed and many northern military officers. The second step examined the effect of military governance on education, the economy, and foreign policy.