1966 Coup: The Truth Unveiled – IBB Sets the Record Straight

 

Former Military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida

A fresh wave of debate has erupted following revelations in former military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s book, A Journey in Service, which debunks the long-held claim that the January 1966 coup was an Igbo-led uprising. In response, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has demanded a formal apology and ₦10 trillion in reparations from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

In his book, Babangida asserts that the primary objective of the coup plotters was to secure the release of Chief Obafemi Awolowo from prison and install him as Prime Minister, rather than serving Igbo interests. He further points out that the coup was led by officers from diverse ethnic backgrounds, including non-Igbo officers like Major Adewale Ademoyega, Captain Ganiyu Adeleke, and Lieutenants Fola Oyewole and Olafimihan.

Additionally, some senior Igbo officers were among the casualties of the coup, such as Lt-Col. Arthur Chinyelu Unegbe, who was executed by fellow officer Major Chris Anuforo. Babangida also highlights that it was Major John Obienu, an Igbo officer, who played a key role in suppressing the coup, further discrediting claims that it was an Igbo-driven plot.Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s Response

Reacting to these revelations, Ohanaeze Ndigbo stated that the false labeling of the 1966 coup as an Igbo-led conspiracy had devastating consequences, culminating in the Biafra War and the loss of millions of Igbo lives.

In a statement issued on Sunday, February 23, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Deputy National President of the Ohanaeze faction, emphasized that the group’s demand for an apology and financial compensation was long overdue.

"The staggering loss of life, with approximately three million Igbos—predominantly innocent women and children—slaughtered during this conflict, continues to reverberate through our collective consciousness," the statement read.

The group also highlighted ongoing systemic injustices against the Igbo people, including political marginalization, economic neglect, and infrastructural deficiencies, such as the closure of the Calabar seaport and the lack of functional international airports in the Southeast.

Ohanaeze reiterated its long-standing call for ₦10 trillion in reparations, a demand first made during the Justice Oputa-led Judicial Commission for the Investigation of Human Rights Violations in 1999.

"This figure is not arbitrary but a symbolic recognition of the indelible losses the Igbo people have endured," the statement asserted.

The group urged the Tinubu administration to seize this moment to correct historical injustices by issuing a formal apology and implementing meaningful reparative measures.