₦airaland Forum

nku5:
Oga abeg Gowon had just come back from abroad and was getting ready to take over as commander of 2nd Battalion from Hilary Njoku on January 15. Gowon was doing condolence visits to families of the coup victims and arresting suspects after all the shooting had stopped and Ironsi had foiled the coup in Lagos

If you said Murtala I might have understood

True that Gowon had just returned to the country, but you got the others wrong. Read this
..After the briefing, Ironsi ordered an immediate platoon headed by Lt Walbe to be formed for
a reconnaissance while the companies prepare for action. He then asked the platoon when
they would be ready. He was told given the nature of the requirements, two and a half hours’
time at the minimum. To conclude, Ironsi asked for questions. Gowon was shocked. In his
later account of the night he wrote that he asked: “When was this trouble first reported, sir”
“ About 3am” “What time is it now?” “ 5:30.” “These people have already had over two-and-
a-half hours’ advantage. Must we give them the same again to enable them to consolidate?”
Gowon then faced the platoon commanders, ‘I give everyone 20 minutes to get ready.’ That
was the first order he gave as the incoming commander of the battalion. Unlike Njoku the
outgoing commander and the GOC who contented themselves with issuing orders from the
safety of the battalion headquarters while the mutineers went on killing, Gowon a lieutenant
colonel, decided to lead the quick reaction force. Success laid in being bold. And that made
all the difference. Spruced up in full combat kit, Gowon grabbed a helmet, his service pistol,
sten gun and readied himself for action...

BafanaBafana:
Nope.
The first coup itself failed, Gowon was able to squash it in Lagos. Since the prime minister was killed, the cabinet agreed on electing an acting prime minister, a certain guy called Dipcharma from Borno who was the most senior member of the ruling party was selected but Orizu Nwafor, the senate President refused to swear him in. It was then that Ironsi came around had a tete a tete with Nwafor and then convinced the MPs (with heavily armed soldiers surrounding them) to hand over power to him.

The mutiny of Igbo political and military leaders invariably led to the killings of more than 2 million Igbo souls during the Nigerian civil war.
They are still paying a price for their wickedness.

ibietela2:
He escaped death himself and they locked up the coupists and messed up their efforts.

Even made things worse by doing same thing the coupists were trying to correct

Azikwe was 'conveniently' outside the shores of Nigeria, on a 'medical vacation' during the coup, General Aguiyi Ironsi, the Chief of Army Staff, escaped death the same way Eastern Religion Premier, Okpara escaped death but unfortunately, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, SL Akintola, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello and his wife, Chief Okotie Eboh, General Ademulegun and his wife, General Maimalari, Col Pam, Col Lagerma, Col. Mohammed, Col. Sodeinde and a host of others killed during the coup, were not so lucky, because they were not 'Onye Afor'.

ibietela2:
They missed him but am sure the person who was sent to finish him let him escape

Why was it so difficult for Ironsi, to hand over power to the Deputy Prime Minister, after subduing the coupists, if Igbos did not have an agenda of hijacking power through a military coup?

IamWonderful:
Baby factory people always say Yoruba are coward and backstabbers, fajuyi insisted they can't take away his visitor with him, despite igbos were the cause of the retaliation and retribution that was melted on them and which righteous fajuyi became part of it

u go die bcoz of this ibo people matter fa

hakeem4:
I believe he did it so as to help his igbo people, because igbos were mostly dominating most facet of life in nigeria

But why would Igbos need help if they were already dominating? And how exactly does non-regional government help Igbos?

humilitypays:
Not Gowon, Aguiyi Ironsi and Ojukwu foiled the coup!

Where do you guys get your history from abeg


Gowon that was scared and shaking to speak to Nzeogwu and Anofuru to the extent they invited Nzeogwu's doctor to speak to him out of fear.


Please read full account of the coup by even a Yoruba officer amongst them; Adewale Ademoyega.


Install
MILITARY WIKI

MILITARY WIKI
1966 Nigerian coup d'état
EDIT PAGE

1966 Nigerian coup d'etat
Date January 15-January 16, 1966
Location Nigeria
Result
Overthrow of Abubakar Balewa
Assassination of 11 senior Politicians
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi seized power
Instigation of Northern-led counter-coup
Belligerents
Flag of Nigeria.svg Government of Nigeria Flag of Nigeria.svg Rebel Army Officers
Commanders and leaders
The 1966 Nigerian Coup d'état began on January 15, 1966 when rebel soldiers led by Kaduna Nzeogwu assassinated 11 senior Nigerian politicians and two soldiers as well as kidnapping three others. The coup plotters attacked the cities of Kaduna, Ibadan, and Lagos while also blockading the Niger and Benue River within a two-day span of time. Before the coup plotters were able to take control of Nigeria a senior Nigerian General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was able to make the coup plotters flee to Kaduna. Although the government was able to drive to coup plotters away they succeeded in installing a Head of State from the Eastern Region. The coup was the spark that erupted into the Nigerian Civil War.


Background
In August 1965 five Igbo Majors were beginning to plot a coup against incumbent Prime Minister Abubakar Balewa. The coup was planned because the Majors were dissatisfied with the governments actions and that most Nigerian politicians were of Hausa or Fulani descent. In a memoir written by coup plotter Adewale Ademoyega he wrote

"Our enemies are the political profiteers, the swindlers, the men in high and low places, that seek bribes and demand 10%; those that seek to keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as ministers or VIPs."

The coup plotters had five goals to achieve, to Strike simultaneously in regional capitals, arrest leading politicians-kill any who resist, avoid reprisals-kill all senior army officers, prevent troop movement-block Niger and Benue, and form a new Government. They planned to strike right before the Commonwealth Conference so that Balewa would be distracted from any suspicious army movements.


Coup
In the weeks leading up to the coup Maj. Kaduna Nzeogwu carried out reconnaissance on Ahmadu Bello's mansion in Kaduna. Nzeogwu often took his men on a night-time training exercise known as "Exercise Damisa" which was in actuality a practice run for a military coup. The commander of the 2nd Brigade, Brig. Samuel Ademulegun, became irritated with the night-time exercises and reprimanded Nzeogwu in a telephone call to keep exercises a safe distance from Bello's mansion. Although Ademulegun complained about the commotion he had no idea of the exercise's true purpose. Nzeogwu's control over his troops was so little that he had to conscript young soldiers from the Nigerian Military Training College at Kaduna. In the early hours on January 15, 1966 Nzeogwu decided to turn "Exercise Damisa" into a full blown military coup. Nzeogwu led his men to a bush adjacent to the mansion gates and informed them of their real mission. Nzeogwu and his men blew open the mansion gates and conducted a search of the residence, hunting for Bello. After losing his temper at his initial failure to locate him, Nzeogwu found him hiding with his wives. Bello was shot along with one of his wives who tried to shield him with her body. Bello's faithful bodyguard came to defend him with a bow and arrows but was also shot.

Nzeogwu's co-conspirator, Maj. Timothy Onwuatuegwu, personally led a detachment of soldiers to Ademulegun's house. Onwuatuegwu made his way up to the Brigadier's room where he was laying beside his wife. Upon seeing Onwuatuegwu enter the room, Ademulegun shouted at him "Timothy, what the devil do you think your doing?". Onwuatuegwu told Ademulegun that he was under arrest. Ademulegun reached for a drawer beside his bed, and as he did so, Onwuatuegwu shot him dead in his bed, along with Ademulegun's wife who was laying beside him.

The head of the NMTC Col. Ralph Shodeinde was killed, but the manner of his death is unclear. His wife testified that he was shot by several soldiers that included Maj. Nzeogwu and Maj. Onwuatuegwu. Other accounts claim that a grenade was tossed at him. It is not clear if Nzeogwu was involved with Shodeinde's death since presumably he was pre-occupied at the time with killing Ahmadu Bello. Most accounts place responsibility for Shodeinde's murder with Onwuatuegwu. The same Onwuatuegwu, who shot both Shodeinde and Ademulegun along with his wife, kidnapped but did not harm the Governor of the Northern Region Kashim Ibrahim. When released Ibrahim vouched that he had been treated with the utmost respect by the men who kidnapped him.

The commander of the 2nd Reece squadron in Kaduna, Hassan Katsina, was not harmed during the coup. Shortly before the coup started, Katsina bumped into Nzeogwu. It is speculated that the conversation between the two men may have saved Katsina's life as Nzeogwu's familiarity with Katsina's family may have led him to exclude Katsina from the coup out of empathy. When the two men met again shortly after the coup, Nzeogwu asked him directly "Are you with us or against us?". Seeing that Nzeogwu was holding a gun, Katsina wisely replied "you know I am with you."

At around 2am Maj. Emmanuel Ifeajuna and some lieutenants from the 2nd Brigade HQ made their way to Prime Minister Abubakar Balewa's residence. They overpowered, but did not kill, the police officers standing guard there. Ifeajuna then kicked down the door of the Prime Minister's bedroom before leading him out at gunpoint. Elsewhere in Lagos, Maj. Don Okafor attempted to arrest Brig. Zakariya Maimalari but he managed to escape by jumping over a wall behind his house. As he was escaping on foot, he came across the car of his Brigade Major, Emmanuel Ifeajuna. Maimalari recognized Ifeajuna and had no idea that he was part of the coup plot. Erroneously believing that Ifeajuna could be trusted, Maimalari waved down the car, and was promptly shot by Ifeajuna. The commanding officer of the Ibadan-based 4th battalion, Lt. Col. Abogo Largema, was a guest at the Ikoyi hotel on the night of the coup. Ifeajuna arrived at the hotel and forced the desk clerk at gunpoint to inform Largema that he had a phone call. When Largema emerged from his room Ifeajuna and a subaltern emerged from their hiding place in a corridor and shot Largema dead. The army's GOC Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was tipped off about the coup by a telephone call from Lt. Col. James Pam. Shortly after ending his telephone call with Ironsi, Pam was abducted from his house and shot dead by Maj. Chris Anuforo. The only Igbo to die in the coup, Lt. Col. Arthur Unegbe, was shot by Anuforo because he was known to be close to Brig. Maimalari and had to be silenced in order to avoid him from raising the alarm. Balewa, Col. Kur Mohammed, and Minister of Finance Festus Okotie-Eboh were initially kidnapped, but were later killed.

In Ibadan the premier of the Western Region Chief Samuel Akintola had been forewarned that soldiers were coming to get him. Akintola heard rumors of a coup and traveled to Kaduna to warn the premier of the Northern Region, Ahmadu Bello. After failing to raise any urgency in Bello, Akintola returned to Ibadan and armed himself with a rifle. His deputy Chief Fani Kayode was first arrested by the coupists. After his arrest, Kayode's wife informed Akintola of what had happened. Shortly afterward a detachment of soldiers led by Capt. Emmanuel Nwobosi arrived at Akintola's residence. Upon sighting the soldiers, Akintola opened fire, wounding a few of them including Capt. Nwobosi. After fighting for his life and engaging the soldiers in a gunfight, Akintola was shot dead by Nwobosi's men.

Aftermath
The commotion caused by the murders of other officers alerted Ironsi to the coup and was able to rally troops who helped him put down the coup. On his way to commence moves to crush the coup, Ironsi encountered a checkpoint manned by junior officers involved in the coup.

Ironsi simply stepped out of his vehicle and roared "Get out of my way!", an order which they promptly obeyed, before continuing his journey.

When it became obvious the coup wasn't going to succeed, Nzeogwu handed over control of the Northern Region to Ironsi's appointed designee, Hassan Katsina, before being escorted to Lagos by Lt. Col. Conrad Nwawo, where he surrendered to Ironsi. The coup leaders, except for Ifeajuna who had fled to Ghana, were placed under arrest.

The surviving members of the Federal cabinet handed over the reigns of government to Ironsi who suspended several parts of the constitution, banned all political parties, and formed a new military government with a Supreme Military Council.

Gowon was in Lagos, Nzeogwu was in KD, where did they meet that Gowon was scared to speak with him.
Ojukwu foiled the coup? How? When?
You obviously don't know what you are saying.
I can understand when you mention Ironsi as someone who foiled the coup because a General always takes the credit for the achievement of his officers. But on his own, Ironsi was so lackadaisical in dealing with the issue that some officers suspected him of trying to buy time for the mutineers.

Dedetwo:
The is one of the reasons I said Ironsi was a dumbass fool. I had the same square off in person with Emeka Ojukwu. He seemed to have the ears of Ironsi and queried why he failed to advise Ironsi to take stringent actions against the killing of Igbo and easterners in northern region of Nigeria in May, 1966. I stressed the fact to him that such failure was the genesis of Nigeria\Biafra war.

I no really understand this, you asked Ojukwu in person? That's cool, what was the reply?

maak400:
See the way Igbos disrespect their host communities, especially the southwest. They disrespect their hosts once they gain ground and have some sense of belonging in any environment they find themselves.

Can you throw more light on this? How do u mean by disrespect their host communities

Deadlytruth:
Look at this idiot. Don't you know it was after your idiotic one-Nigeria chanting uncle Azikiwe gave them power on a platter of gold at independence that they got emboldened to want to dip the Quran into Atlantic Ocean?

Lmao, how can you just brazenly lie this way

OyinO:
Fail!!! The civil war was a struggle by northern and western Nigeria to keep the state in one for them to control and enjoy the proceeds of crude oil and natural gas.

What was the Biafran Army looking for in Ore ?

Was Lagos and Ibadan it was trying to invade part of Biafra or was Ojukwu being greedy and wanted to rule over all Southern Nigeria as some alleged including Awolowo and Gen David Ejoor?

OyinO:
Fail!!! The civil war was a struggle by northern and western Nigeria to keep the state in one for them to control and enjoy the proceeds of crude oil and natural gas.

What was the Biafran Army looking for in Ore ?

Was Lagos and Ibadan it was trying to invade part of Biafra ?

Was Ojukwu being greedy and wanted to conquer and rule over all Southern Nigeria as some alleged including Awolowo and Gen David Ejoor after they had meetings with Ojukwu and as Ojukwu's own letter to Victor Banjo clearly proved?

BafanaBafana:
True that Gowon had just returned to the country, but you got the others wrong. Read this
..After the briefing, Ironsi ordered an immediate platoon headed by Lt Walbe to be formed for
a reconnaissance while the companies prepare for action. He then asked the platoon when
they would be ready. He was told given the nature of the requirements, two and a half hours’
time at the minimum. To conclude, Ironsi asked for questions. Gowon was shocked. In his
later account of the night he wrote that he asked: “When was this trouble first reported, sir”
“ About 3am” “What time is it now?” “ 5:30.” “These people have already had over two-and-
a-half hours’ advantage. Must we give them the same again to enable them to consolidate?”
Gowon then faced the platoon commanders, ‘I give everyone 20 minutes to get ready.’ That
was the first order he gave as the incoming commander of the battalion. Unlike Njoku the
outgoing commander and the GOC who contented themselves with issuing orders from the
safety of the battalion headquarters while the mutineers went on killing, Gowon a lieutenant
colonel, decided to lead the quick reaction force. Success laid in being bold. And that made
all the difference. Spruced up in full combat kit, Gowon grabbed a helmet, his service pistol,
sten gun and readied himself for action...

Most Nigerians continue to show poor state of Nigerian educational system in the public. It is very shameful these loafers had to pass as someone's compatriots. Gowon was not even in military uniform talk less leading a soldier. Who, besides the so called Lt Col Gowon, consisted of reaction force which should be in a strength of platoon or company?

melodyogonna:
I no really understand this, you asked Ojukwu in person? That's cool, what was the reply?

Hindsight!!!

johntolu:
Why was it so difficult for Ironsi, to hand over power to the Deputy Prime Minister, after subduing the coupists, if Igbos did not have an agenda of hijacking power through a military coup?

This is another open indictment of Nigerian educational system. There was no position as "Deputy Prime Minister" in Nigeria. In such a situation, the Senate president who was the President Pro Tempore of Nigeria had to urge the coalition partners to produce a candidate for Prime Minister.

johntolu:
Azikwe was 'conveniently' outside the shores of Nigeria, on a 'medical vacation' during the coup, General Aguiyi Ironsi, the Chief of Army Staff, escaped death the same way Eastern Religion Premier, Okpara escaped death but unfortunately, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa, SL Akintola, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello and his wife, Chief Okotie Eboh, General Ademulegun and his wife, General Maimalari, Col Pam, Col Lagerma, Col. Mohammed, Col. Sodeinde and a host of others killed during the coup, were not so lucky, because they were not 'Onye Afor'.

They didn't kill WIFE of anyone.
Go and read his account

ADAMUdaCOWBOY:
Goat, why did he not punish the coupists? It is a good thing that T.Y. Danjuma treated his fućk up.

Same Danjuma reaping his deeds.

EMMAUGOH:
Inferiority officers around him, made it that way. The only fearless officers were executed by him that's when the war was lost. He lack fearless advicers or maybe everyone was scared to be called a Saboteur and executed.

Yeah
After killing them for planning a coup.

He was also advised to take the fight away from the east which he turned down

Dedetwo:
Most Nigerians continue to show poor state of Nigerians educational system in the public. It is very shameful these loafers had to pass as someone's compatriots. Gowon was not even in military uniform talk less leading a soldier. Who, besides the so called Lt Col Gowon, consisted of reaction force which should be in a strength of platoon or company?

Stop littering this thread with your stupidity. This is not your regular beer palor where you go to show off to those Onitsha main market boys

BafanaBafana:
Gowon was in Lagos, Nzeogwu was in KD, where did they meet that Gowon was scared to speak with him.
Ojukwu foiled the coup? How? When?
You obviously don't know what you are saying.
I can understand when you mention Ironsi as someone who foiled the coup because a General always takes the credit for the achievement of his officers. But on his own, Ironsi was so lackadaisical in dealing with the issue that some officers suspected him of trying to buy time for the mutineers.

read what I posted and learn, and stop assumption

Dedetwo:
Hindsight!!!

Yeah, I guess. The future is always a gamble, you can't forsee how it'll turn out.

ibietela2:
Same Danjuma reaping his deeds.

What is Danjuma reaping? The dude is a billionaire! People like OBJ, Goodluck, Buhari and T.Y. Danjuma don't suffer all these things, it is you and me, and when Danjuma cries, he is doing so for the masses not himself.

johntolu:
Why was it so difficult for Ironsi, to hand over power to the Deputy Prime Minister, after subduing the coupists, if Igbos did not have an agenda of hijacking power through a military coup?

Ironsi was in power for just a few months.

Are you aware that Ironsi set up an investigative panel made up of northerners that Gowon supervised? To know how far the conspiracy went? Do you know that the panel did not submit their report until Ironsi was overthrown by the same Gowon and co? The report was never released because it found no link to Ironsi or any ethnocentric (igbo) plot.

Nigeria is a very deep and evil country. If you know you know

BafanaBafana:
Stop littering this thread with your stupidity. This is not your regular beer palor where you go to show off to those Onitsha main market boys

I do not mean to insult you but you write military issues like someone who has not seen a parade ground in his\her freaking life. Stop embarrassing your kinsmen.

ibietela2:
Sarduna who was part of the problem

only an ibo man would say that. they were minding their business trying to educate and develop their region until your greed got the better of you and ruined our country forever.

what problem did Sardauna create? because he didnt allow you to dominate civil service as per your plan when you formed alliance with North?

Why can't Nigeria just divide in peace. The distrust and hate is too deep to be ignored.

humilitypays:
read what I posted and learn, and stop assumption

Thank you sir. Though I knew those stuff you quoted since I was about 12.
You however mentioned that Gowon was shivering and couldn't speak with Maj. Nzeogwu. Please how did that happen

humilitypays:
Not Gowon, Aguiyi Ironsi and Ojukwu foiled the coup!

Where do you guys get your history from abeg


Gowon that was scared and shaking to speak to Nzeogwu and Anofuru to the extent they invited Nzeogwu's doctor to speak to him out of fear.


Please read full account of the coup by even a Yoruba officer amongst them; Adewale Ademoyega.


Install
MILITARY WIKI

MILITARY WIKI
1966 Nigerian coup d'état
EDIT PAGE

1966 Nigerian coup d'etat
Date January 15-January 16, 1966
Location Nigeria
Result
Overthrow of Abubakar Balewa
Assassination of 11 senior Politicians
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi seized power
Instigation of Northern-led counter-coup
Belligerents
Flag of Nigeria.svg Government of Nigeria Flag of Nigeria.svg Rebel Army Officers
Commanders and leaders
The 1966 Nigerian Coup d'état began on January 15, 1966 when rebel soldiers led by Kaduna Nzeogwu assassinated 11 senior Nigerian politicians and two soldiers as well as kidnapping three others. The coup plotters attacked the cities of Kaduna, Ibadan, and Lagos while also blockading the Niger and Benue River within a two-day span of time. Before the coup plotters were able to take control of Nigeria a senior Nigerian General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was able to make the coup plotters flee to Kaduna. Although the government was able to drive to coup plotters away they succeeded in installing a Head of State from the Eastern Region. The coup was the spark that erupted into the Nigerian Civil War.


Background
In August 1965 five Igbo Majors were beginning to plot a coup against incumbent Prime Minister Abubakar Balewa. The coup was planned because the Majors were dissatisfied with the governments actions and that most Nigerian politicians were of Hausa or Fulani descent. In a memoir written by coup plotter Adewale Ademoyega he wrote

"Our enemies are the political profiteers, the swindlers, the men in high and low places, that seek bribes and demand 10%; those that seek to keep the country divided permanently so that they can remain in office as ministers or VIPs."

The coup plotters had five goals to achieve, to Strike simultaneously in regional capitals, arrest leading politicians-kill any who resist, avoid reprisals-kill all senior army officers, prevent troop movement-block Niger and Benue, and form a new Government. They planned to strike right before the Commonwealth Conference so that Balewa would be distracted from any suspicious army movements.


Coup
In the weeks leading up to the coup Maj. Kaduna Nzeogwu carried out reconnaissance on Ahmadu Bello's mansion in Kaduna. Nzeogwu often took his men on a night-time training exercise known as "Exercise Damisa" which was in actuality a practice run for a military coup. The commander of the 2nd Brigade, Brig. Samuel Ademulegun, became irritated with the night-time exercises and reprimanded Nzeogwu in a telephone call to keep exercises a safe distance from Bello's mansion. Although Ademulegun complained about the commotion he had no idea of the exercise's true purpose. Nzeogwu's control over his troops was so little that he had to conscript young soldiers from the Nigerian Military Training College at Kaduna. In the early hours on January 15, 1966 Nzeogwu decided to turn "Exercise Damisa" into a full blown military coup. Nzeogwu led his men to a bush adjacent to the mansion gates and informed them of their real mission. Nzeogwu and his men blew open the mansion gates and conducted a search of the residence, hunting for Bello. After losing his temper at his initial failure to locate him, Nzeogwu found him hiding with his wives. Bello was shot along with one of his wives who tried to shield him with her body. Bello's faithful bodyguard came to defend him with a bow and arrows but was also shot.

Nzeogwu's co-conspirator, Maj. Timothy Onwuatuegwu, personally led a detachment of soldiers to Ademulegun's house. Onwuatuegwu made his way up to the Brigadier's room where he was laying beside his wife. Upon seeing Onwuatuegwu enter the room, Ademulegun shouted at him "Timothy, what the devil do you think your doing?". Onwuatuegwu told Ademulegun that he was under arrest. Ademulegun reached for a drawer beside his bed, and as he did so, Onwuatuegwu shot him dead in his bed, along with Ademulegun's wife who was laying beside him.

The head of the NMTC Col. Ralph Shodeinde was killed, but the manner of his death is unclear. His wife testified that he was shot by several soldiers that included Maj. Nzeogwu and Maj. Onwuatuegwu. Other accounts claim that a grenade was tossed at him. It is not clear if Nzeogwu was involved with Shodeinde's death since presumably he was pre-occupied at the time with killing Ahmadu Bello. Most accounts place responsibility for Shodeinde's murder with Onwuatuegwu. The same Onwuatuegwu, who shot both Shodeinde and Ademulegun along with his wife, kidnapped but did not harm the Governor of the Northern Region Kashim Ibrahim. When released Ibrahim vouched that he had been treated with the utmost respect by the men who kidnapped him.

The commander of the 2nd Reece squadron in Kaduna, Hassan Katsina, was not harmed during the coup. Shortly before the coup started, Katsina bumped into Nzeogwu. It is speculated that the conversation between the two men may have saved Katsina's life as Nzeogwu's familiarity with Katsina's family may have led him to exclude Katsina from the coup out of empathy. When the two men met again shortly after the coup, Nzeogwu asked him directly "Are you with us or against us?". Seeing that Nzeogwu was holding a gun, Katsina wisely replied "you know I am with you."

At around 2am Maj. Emmanuel Ifeajuna and some lieutenants from the 2nd Brigade HQ made their way to Prime Minister Abubakar Balewa's residence. They overpowered, but did not kill, the police officers standing guard there. Ifeajuna then kicked down the door of the Prime Minister's bedroom before leading him out at gunpoint. Elsewhere in Lagos, Maj. Don Okafor attempted to arrest Brig. Zakariya Maimalari but he managed to escape by jumping over a wall behind his house. As he was escaping on foot, he came across the car of his Brigade Major, Emmanuel Ifeajuna. Maimalari recognized Ifeajuna and had no idea that he was part of the coup plot. Erroneously believing that Ifeajuna could be trusted, Maimalari waved down the car, and was promptly shot by Ifeajuna. The commanding officer of the Ibadan-based 4th battalion, Lt. Col. Abogo Largema, was a guest at the Ikoyi hotel on the night of the coup. Ifeajuna arrived at the hotel and forced the desk clerk at gunpoint to inform Largema that he had a phone call. When Largema emerged from his room Ifeajuna and a subaltern emerged from their hiding place in a corridor and shot Largema dead. The army's GOC Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi was tipped off about the coup by a telephone call from Lt. Col. James Pam. Shortly after ending his telephone call with Ironsi, Pam was abducted from his house and shot dead by Maj. Chris Anuforo. The only Igbo to die in the coup, Lt. Col. Arthur Unegbe, was shot by Anuforo because he was known to be close to Brig. Maimalari and had to be silenced in order to avoid him from raising the alarm. Balewa, Col. Kur Mohammed, and Minister of Finance Festus Okotie-Eboh were initially kidnapped, but were later killed.

In Ibadan the premier of the Western Region Chief Samuel Akintola had been forewarned that soldiers were coming to get him. Akintola heard rumors of a coup and traveled to Kaduna to warn the premier of the Northern Region, Ahmadu Bello. After failing to raise any urgency in Bello, Akintola returned to Ibadan and armed himself with a rifle. His deputy Chief Fani Kayode was first arrested by the coupists. After his arrest, Kayode's wife informed Akintola of what had happened. Shortly afterward a detachment of soldiers led by Capt. Emmanuel Nwobosi arrived at Akintola's residence. Upon sighting the soldiers, Akintola opened fire, wounding a few of them including Capt. Nwobosi. After fighting for his life and engaging the soldiers in a gunfight, Akintola was shot dead by Nwobosi's men.

Aftermath
The commotion caused by the murders of other officers alerted Ironsi to the coup and was able to rally troops who helped him put down the coup. On his way to commence moves to crush the coup, Ironsi encountered a checkpoint manned by junior officers involved in the coup.

Ironsi simply stepped out of his vehicle and roared "Get out of my way!", an order which they promptly obeyed, before continuing his journey.

When it became obvious the coup wasn't going to succeed, Nzeogwu handed over control of the Northern Region to Ironsi's appointed designee, Hassan Katsina, before being escorted to Lagos by Lt. Col. Conrad Nwawo, where he surrendered to Ironsi. The coup leaders, except for Ifeajuna who had fled to Ghana, were placed under arrest.

The surviving members of the Federal cabinet handed over the reigns of government to Ironsi who suspended several parts of the constitution, banned all political parties, and formed a new military government with a Supreme Military Council.

Only a stupid mind would think Ironsi was never part of the coup right from the beginning. The bolded account is quite laughable ! Mr Ironsi must be a superman to be able to order armed soldiers out of his way in such a manner in the midst of a very bloody coup !

Why did he not kill the coupists when they were eventually arrested if he wasn't part of the idea right from the beginning ? The coup of January 1966 was an unfortunate one with a very strong ethnic agenda the effects of which are still being felt till today.

ibietela2:
Read your history
He was supposed to be killed. He didn't start it

Hmm,"he was supposed to be killed" but when he arrested his would be killers,he failed to kill them !

Come off it,Mr Ironsi knew about the coup right from the beginning.

melodyogonna:
Lmao, how can you just brazenly lie this way

Haven't you ever read that it was on the 11th of October 1960 that Ahmadu Bello allegedly made the declaration that the country is an estate of his forefathers? Did Azikiwe's aligning of his NCNC with Ahmadu Bello's NPC happen before or after October 11 1960?

ibietela2:
He was the leader

He wasn't. Ifeajuna was. Even Adegboyega the author of the book you display here confirmed it in that book that Ifeajuna was the leader. Read the book yourself.
The coup is named Nzeogwu coup not because Nzeogwu architected or led it but because he alone was bold enough to come out and make a national broadcast after the coup had failed and his colleagues had consequently run into hiding out of fear.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2009/12/%25E2%2580%259Cjanuary-15-1966-not-nzeogwu%25E2%2580%2599s-coup%25E2%2580%259D/amp/

ibietela2:
Boro died in the war, he was only imprisoned

Why imprison him for trying to exit the injustice Nigeria had become?