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.I. Akintola, the Premier of Western Region, Sir Abubakar
Tafawa Balewa, Prime Minister of Nigeria, Chief Festus Okotie-
Eboh, Federal Minister of Finance and other military officers. The
coup was poorly carried out in certain parts of the country and
there was a strong accusation of tribalism. The Northern People
accused Chukwuma as well as his fellow coup plotters of staging
an Igbo coup. This is because most of the officers killed during
the coup were those from other part of the country. The then
general officer commanding the Nigerian army, Major-General
Johnson Thomas Ununakwe Aguiyi Ironsi was sworn-in as the
Military Head of State of Nigeria.

THE SECOND COUP IN NIGERIA
On 29 July, 1966, six months after the first coup plot, three
young military officers of Northern background led by Lieutenant
Colonel Murtala Muhammed staged a counter coup to even the
score. This led to the death of Major-General J.T.U. Aguyi-Ironsi,
Head of State, Col. Francis Adekunle Fajuyi Military Governor,
Western region and other military officers. General Yakubu
Gowon was then sworn-in as the Military Head of State.

THE THIRD COUP IN NIGERIA
In July 1975, a group of Colonel sacked the government of
General Yakubu Gowon in a bloodless coup. General Murtala
Muhammed also masterminded this coup. In this coup, no lives
were lost. General Murtala Muhammed assumed power in July
1975.

THE FOURTH COUP IN NIGERIA
On 13 February 1976, six months later, Lieutenant-colonel Bukur
Suka Dimka with his loyalist stage an abortive coup which
claimed the lives of three officers; General Murtala Muhammed,
Head of State, Col. Ibrahim Taiwo, Governor of Kwara State and
Lt. Akintunde Akinsehinwa, ADC to Muhammed. This led to their
arrest and subsequent execution of one civilian and 38 soldiers,
including Major-General Illya Bisalla, five Colonel, four majors and
other officers for their role in the failed coup. Civilians involved in
the coup include, Abdulkareem Zakari, a staff of Radio Nigeria,
Lagos and Helen Gomwalk, sister-in-law of Joseph Gomwalk,
were tried by military tribunal and punished. Zakari was executed
for his involvement in the coup while Helen Gomwalk bagged a
life sentence. She was later given amnesty by the Shehu Shagari
administration.

THE FIFTH COUP IN NIGERIA
On 31 December 1983, General Buhari Muhammadu stage a coup
which sacked the shehu Shagari’s administration. This coup led
to the death of a loyal officer to the government, Brigadier
Ibrahim Bako.

THE SIXTH COUP IN NIGERIA
On 27 August 1985, Babangida led a palace coup which
terminated the Buhari’s 20 months reign.

THE SEVENTH COUP IN NIGERIA
In 1986, Major-General Mamman Vatsa led an abortive coup to
overthrown the government of President Babangida. That same
year, he and other 10 military officers were tried and were
executed in March 1986.


THE EIGHTH COUP IN NIGERIA
On 22 April 1990, Gideon Orka staged an abortive coup to unseat
the government of Ibrahim Babangida. The coup attempt has
been describe as one of the bloodies coup and it was the largest
execution of coup plotters in the nation’s history. This led to the
death of nine loyal Soldiers. 69 soldiers of various ranks were
accused of treason and they were killed by firing squad. The
second in command and Chief of general staff, Vice-admiral
Augustus Aikhomu, revealed that at least three of the plotters of
the April 22 coup were arrested, caution and released in 1987
over an alleged coup plot to overthrow the government. They
were G.T. Nyiam, a Lieutenant Colonel, S.D. Mukoro and Gideon
Orkar, both majors. They were later released. Aikhomu also said
that the officers regrouped once again in January to overthrow
the government and had intended to kill not only the president,
but also, the AFRC members and military governors, all civilian
members of the council of ministers and senior military and
police officers. The suspects were later tried by the treason and
other offences special military tribunal headed by Ike
Nwachukwu, Major-General and general officer commanding the
1 mechanised division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna. After the
trial, 42 persons were found guilty and condemned to death by
firing squad. This was the largest execution of coup plotters in
Nigeria’s history breaking the record of the 1976 coup led by
Buka Suka Dimka in which 32 officers and men were executed.

THE NINETH COUP IN NIGERIA
On November 17, 1993, General Sani Abacha staged a palace
coup to unseat the Interim National Government led by Chief
Ernest Shonekan.