₦airaland Forum

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Loool. It was officers and soldiers mostly from the "middle belt" that ended Ironsi's regime. It was TY Danjuma that led the platoon of northern(mainly middle belt Christians) soldiers that arrested and consequently, shot Ironsi and Fajuyi.

Now you hear this same Danjuma complain about Fulani herdsmen taking over their lands, loool.

BafanaBafana:
Where did you get your info from?

You got a different opinion?

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

Yakubu Gowon was amongst those who plotted the July 1966 coup though, he might not have fired a shot at anybody.

And yeah, I also believe this middlebelt-core north fight. The trust is amongst them is gone.

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

Are we talking about Ojukwu now?

Lalasticlala, Mynd44 and, OAM4J, please take this piece to the front page.

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 in 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 of 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 by 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.

gidgiddy:
Dimka should be declared a national hero for killing the mass murderer and terrorist called Murtala Mohammed

Dimka himself is a murderer. A day before the counter coup, major Ogbemudia was questioning him for an offense.

When the coup started the next day, he went after Ogbemudia with a platoon of northern soldiers.

Born2Breed:
It's funny how they all died....those who masterminded the 2nd coup were all eliminated by themselves.

Murtala
Dimka
Bisalla
and co.

It's damn too funny.

IBB killed Vasta, a second LT during the counter-coup. He participated in that coup too.

mmorah6:
murutala did not kill them they killed thier self with thier foolish ness siding with an enemy against thier own blood

You're a moronic person.

Asaba folks didn't side with the enemy.

Favor99:
He is from Edo. He grew up in the north. But his parents are Estako ethnic group from Edo State.

Show us one book that substantiates your claims.

Favor99:
Muratala Mohammed is from Edo State. The best head of state in Nigerian history. In other words the best president Nigeria has had is an Edo man from Auchi.
Edo is renown for the Benin kingdom and all of our artwork that is glamorized by Europe and the rest of the world. No tribe in Nigeria has had such a renown kingdom admired by the world. Our art is is filled in museums in America and Europe.

No tribe in Nigeria compares to the glory we had. So saying Igbo is more superior makes no sense.

These clowning will not stop assuming, loool.

Show us one reputable book that says Murtala Muhammad is from edo.

KingOfAllIgbos:
I am guessing Zik, Ojukwu and Kanu are Yorubas

They ALL claimed to be Igbo Leaders and ALL ran away from battle after chest-beating.

According tto you, they are efulefu Yorubas

Bow down to Yoruba
since you admit they are forever your masters

Mooron, bragidier ogundipe, colonel adebayo, Gen adisa and, Lt. gen diya are the biggest cowards to ever walk on the earth surface.

BenzEne1:
Who would take the words of a backstabber serious. We don't care what they had in mind it's what happened that matters. See dem, plan keh. Gerrarahere

YorubaAssasin:
You're sure an indomie generation...

Stark illiterates hobos, loool.

I stay wondering if history is taught in Nigeria educational institutions.

It's really unbelievable hearing folks say things they don't have a slightest idea about.
How can some dumbass say Ahmadu bello raised Nzeogwu. Where and when did this happen, looool.

labani06:
Is that the reason u are busy giving us bad names home and abroad busy selling drugs and weed ?

ok tell me why did nzegwu kaduna kill sir sardauna a leader from the north and not for the south why ?

thats why flat head would never lead Naija becuz you are wicked

You're a moronic person.

Lt. Col Unegbe, an Igbo man was also killed in that coup though he was not marked out to be killed. Only one Igbo military officer was marked out to be killed in the coup. It's logical cos the north had more intake into the army than the rest of the country.

Also your dumbass didn't know that Yorubas were also part of that coup? It's no brainer that Fajuyi was killed along side Ironsi. Hassan Kastina knew that truth hence, he dubbed fajuyi an "action grouper".

RighteousI:
This eastern monkey called Nzeogwu killed him. How Nigerian would have been great if not for selfish easterners. The same greed and selfishness they show in trading is the same greed and selfishness that made them believe that they can kill everyone and have the country to themselves alone.
The Ibos are the root cause of Nigerias problem.

Mooron, Nzeogwu is from delta state.

BenzEne1:
And a host of others too, so Ironsi could take over. They did pay dearly for it tho.
Now they scream marginalization..... Crooks

You're a moronic person.

Nzeogwu and his collegues planned to release awolowo from prison and, make him president.

YorubaAssasin:
Blood thirsty Ifeajuna killed this innocent guy.

You're a stark illiterate.

Your Amala dumbass should thank ifeajuna for killing this jihadist cos he was planning to wallop the west for refusing to acknowledge Akintola.

edon21:
bro if you don't get what's happening here. kindly keep mute

I asked an innocuous question and, you're coming at me saying I should be quiet.

Is that what's happening here?

jaycent:
Hahahaha allow him to Rant as much as he want. We are developing our country small small as we like. Nobody is taking it from us, but Kenya they're in a serious danger, biggest danger the foreigners are planning to take thier slumish country and turn them to slave I will pity Charlatan. Let them keep decieving them selves. Mumu people

You're developing which country small small(sic)?