The Story Of The First Act Of Terrorism In Nigeria
If you thought it was the killing of Dele Giwa, think again. It had already happened 20 years earlier
1. On September 11, 1966, Edmund Agu, an explosive expert at the Coal Corporation, then working as a terrorist agent, attempted to paralyse the Ad Hoc Constitutional Conference in Lagos by blowing up part of the Federal Palace Hotel where many of the delegates were lodged
Source: Years of Challenge, S. O. Ogbemudia
Heinemann Educational Books, 1991. p.64
Heinemann Educational Books, 1991. p.64
2. President Shehu Shagari recorded in his memoirs in "Beckoned to Serve : an autobiography - Page 137" that Edmund Agu "blew himself up while priming explosive devices apparently intended to wreck" the said conference
3. A West Africa magazine edition of 1966 recorded that "A police statement in Lagos identified Edmund Agu, lecturer in mining with the Coal Corporation, as the same person who planted the bomb at the Federal Palace Hotel and later got himself killed at 6, Okotie Eboh Str, Ikoyi"
Source: West Africa - Issues 2561-2587 - Page 1103 (1966)
4. In "The War of Nigerian Unity, 1967-1970 - Page 96",
Cecil Rex Niven noted that Agu "was careless in assembling his next batch of explosives and blew himself up in his house in the Ikoyi suburb of Lagos...Mr Agu was but the first of a series of bomb experts from the East"
Cecil Rex Niven noted that Agu "was careless in assembling his next batch of explosives and blew himself up in his house in the Ikoyi suburb of Lagos...Mr Agu was but the first of a series of bomb experts from the East"
5a. An archived report of the CIA 22 Sept 1966 in "Daily Report, Foreign Radio Broadcasts, Issues 181-185" which cited an NBC Lagos report of 20 Sept 1966 dwelt on the Edmund Agu issue with the following highlights..
5b. The senior pathologist at the forensic lab, Oshodi, Lagos, indicated that Agu died as a result of multiple injuries to his body and indicated that Agu died while handling explosives
5c. The car which Agu used at the time, though the property of the Eastern Nigerian Ministry of Planning, bore an apparently fake Lagos registration number, LK 8811
6. I do not have my copy of Joe Garba's memoirs "Revolution in Nigeria: Another View" handy at this time but my friend @EwuInc can possibly check his to affirm that Garba also mentioned the story of Edmund Agu therein.
Have a good evening one and all..
Have a good evening one and all..
Next batch here suggests that he had already carried out previous bombings. When the specifics get to hand, we shall let you know that as well
