FCT, Abuja – Former military president Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida has said Igbo people were not behind the bloody 1966 coup in Nigeria.
TimesNow.com.ng recalls that in the early hours of January 15, 1966, rebellious soldiers led Kaduna Nzeogwuâfrom Delta stateâled a group of soldiers to kill 22 people, including the prime minister of Nigeria at the time, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; many senior politicians, senior army officers, their wives and guards.
In âA Journey in Service: An Autobiography of Ibrahim Babangidaâ, the former Nigerian leader clarified that contrary to the narratives linking the coup to ethnic sentiments, the original intention of the coup plotters was to release Obafemi Awolowo from detention and install him as the president.
Meanwhile, the fact that then-head of state, Major General Aguiyi Ironsi, among top Igbo politicians and military officers, was not killed made many believe that it was an Igbo-inspired mutiny. But Babangida pointed out that several senior Igbo officers were also tragically killed during the attacks on January 15, 1966, adding that about four non-Igbo officers took part in the mutiny.
IBB, as Babangida is commonly called, said in his new book:
IBB added:
Read more about Babangida:
Earlier, TimesNow.com.ng reported that Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), recounted his ordeal under former military president, General Babangidaâs regime.
Falana said Babangida detained him and other students for speaking up against his government, adding that Babangida deliberately killed his best man, Major-General Mamman Jiya Vatsaâcontrary to the claim that the slain soldier was involved in a coup.
Source: TimesNow.com.ng
