SuperIgbo1:
The plot to overthrow Major-General Aguiyi Ironsi was said to have been conceived in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. It was worked out be executed by the entire Northern Nigerian civil servants and their military counter-parts. The targets of the counter-coup were mainly Igbo military officers and their civilian counterparts.

Among the coup plotters were, Major Murtala Mohammed though, was later promoted to the rank of a Lieutenant Colonel by Ironsi in order to pacify him. Young Major Mohammed never stopped to show his bitterness against Ironsi. He went as far as to call Ironsi a fool for ever conceiving the ideas contained in the Decree no. 34.

Buka Dimka, a Second Lieutenant at that time, was another active participant of that coup. A night before the coup started, he was seen going from house to house, passing messages to various Northern Nigeria officers.

He was arrested immediately and was being questioned by Major Ogbemudia. Dimka denied the charges and, with tears in his eyes, charged Major Ogbemudia with maltreating him cos he was a Northerner. Ogbemudia apologized and sent him away.

When the coup started, Dimka marshaled a group of northern soldiers who pursued Ogbemudia all the way from Kaduna to Owo, Ondo State where Ogbemudia abandoned his Landrover (which had run out of fuel) and scaled a 6-foot fence into a dense jungle to escape Dimka and his soldiers.

Lieutenant Colonel Yakubu Gowon, Lieutenant Ibrahim Babangida and, Lieutenant Mamman Vasta were also active participants in the July 1966 counter-coup.

After the 1966 counter-coup, came the Biafran war which did cost the lives many. Sadly, after the civil war, many of the 1966 counter-coup participants turned against themselves.

First, it was Murtala Mohammed ousting the rebel government of Yakubu Gowon which he had supported to assume power after the death of Major-General Aguiyi Ironsi.

Second, after the Murtala's coup, came the bloody 1976 coup led Buka Dimka. Murtala Mohammed and his ADC were killed in this coup.

Lastly, in 1986 Mamman Vasta was convicted and executed for conspiring to overthrow the Babangida administration.

ItsMeAboki:
Why did Ojukwu turned against some of his own men and executed them: Emmanuel Ifeajuna, Victor Banjo, Phillip Alale and Sam Agbam?

gidgiddy:


The Northerners were united in taking over Nigeria. If there is one thing Northerners hate, it is power going to the South. And if power must go to the South, over their dead body it will be an Igbo man.

The Northerners seized power, but The could not manage power. Murtala Mohammed conducted a coup, but it was a middle belt man called Gowon who became head of state. Murtala Mohammed again conducted a coup in the mid 70's and this time, he seized power, but within 6 months, Smith middle belt man dispatched him to great beyond. Buhari seized power, but another middle belt man called Babangida kicked him out. Buhari then had to endure several other middle belters like Vatsa and Orker plot against him. I think there had always been a fight between the core North and middle belters. The only time they unite is when the need to fight southerners

BafanaBafana:
Where did you get your info from?

Racoon:
Nice one! Simply because karma came calling.It never forgets or forgets.

CharleyBright:
OP, brief & good analysis from u.
But you failed to answer the question which the subject matter of your post asks - " Why did the coup plotters turn against themselves"?

To answer your question, let me state that shortly after the first Military Coup by Nzeogwu, there was so much lawlessness and insubordination amongst Junior Military officer from the Northern extract who were on revenge mission to exterminate all IBO and even southerners in the Nigerian Milliary for the coup that killed the most senior Northerner in the Military - Brigadier Gen Mamalari.

These anormalies in the Military was further worsened when the insubordination was condoned and left unpunished as the senior officers became afraid of their junior officers for fear of mutiny.These gave rise to so much distrust within the Military.

And in the end , the main reason why they turn many officers felt they can undertake coups and go unpunished.

CharleyBright:
OP, brief & good analysis from u.But you failed to answer the question which the subject matter of your post asks - " Why did the coup plotters turn against themselves"?

To answer your question, let me state that shortly after the first Military Coup by Nzeogwu, there was so much lawlessness and insubordination amongst Junior Military officer from the Northern extract who were on revenge mission to exterminate all Igbo and even southerners in the Nigerian Milliary for the coup that killed the most senior Northerner in the Military - Brigadier Gen Mamalari.

These anormalies in the Military was further worsened when the insubordination was condoned and left unpunished as the senior officers became afraid of their junior officers for fear of mutiny.These gave rise to so much distrust within the Military.

The main reason why they turn against themselves was because previous coup plotters were not punished, so many officers felt they can undertake coups and go unpunished.

For more answers to your question and more insights of the Nigerian Military coups go abd read - Oil, Politics and Violence -By Max Siollun

BafanaBafana:
The coup was planned by military officers of nothern extraction. It was code named "operation aure". I never read anywhere that civilians were involved. The plan was to oust Ironsi and bring the "igbo coup " plotters to book. But at a point in the execution of the coup, the NCOs and soldiers whoose anger had gone off the roof took over and went on a killing spree.

Did the coup plotters turn against each other? I don't see it that way. The only way you can take power in a military regime is by usurping power. And that's just what was happening.

BafanaBafana:
The coup was planned by military officers of nothern extraction. It was code named "operation aure". I never read anywhere that civilians were involved. The plan was to oust Ironsi and bring the "igbo coup " plotters to book. But at a point in the execution of the coup, the NCOs and soldiers whoose anger had gone off the roof took over and went on a killing spree.

Did the coup plotters turn against each other? I don't see it that way. The only way you can take power in a military regime is by usurping power. And that's just what was happening.

SuperIgbo1:


When will the living perpetuators of the counter-coup be brought to book?

SuperIgbo1:


When will the living perpetuators of the counter-coup be brought to book?

Racoon:

Brilliant sir! Guess you've also read his other book-
"Soldiers of Fortune" by same author? It's another interesting read for any politically conscious Nigerian.

torino88:
it was misunderstood to be an Igbo coup

SuperIgbo1:


Are you for real? The coup was to bring the "Igbo" coup plotters to book?

Ademoyega in his book, opined that the NCOs who partook in the coup were mostly Northerners. Why then were they not brought to book like their superiors?

The Araba riot in May was a prelude to the counter-coup and, Northern civilians partook fully in it with the aid of the likes of Hassan Kastina.

immhotep:
Please reject military rule.

Atikulate2019

CharleyBright:


It wouldnt be totally wrong to say it was an Ibo coup.
85% of the coup plotters were Ibos.
And the more so because it is alleged that they allowed Nnamdi Azikwe an Ibo man escape while other people in govt were killed.

SuperIgbo1:


2 Igbo military officers were also marked out to be killed - Major-General Ironsi, the GOC and Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Unegbe, the military Quartermaster.

While Lt. Col. Unegbe was killed, Ironsi escaped and, was able to raise troops to quell the "Igbo" coup in Lagos. Also don't forget, the North had more intake in the Army so, its only logical that more officers of the northern extraction were marked out and killed.

SuperIgbo1:


Are we talking about Ojukwu now?