1. The Gideon Orkar Coup of 1990 (Attempt on IBB's life)
How it went, why he attempted it (One of which was the excision of 5 Northern states and eventual breakup of Nigeria) and lessons learnt.
THREAD!!!!!
How it went, why he attempted it (One of which was the excision of 5 Northern states and eventual breakup of Nigeria) and lessons learnt.
THREAD!!!!!
2. It was April 21st 1990.
It was the fasting period of Ramadan and IBB saw off his last visitor of the day at Dodan Barracks.
He went upstairs to the family quarters and started fiddling with the television. He tried BBC, CNN etc
It was the fasting period of Ramadan and IBB saw off his last visitor of the day at Dodan Barracks.
He went upstairs to the family quarters and started fiddling with the television. He tried BBC, CNN etc
3. He slept off by 2am.
His wife Maryam woke him up and was shouting that she is hearing heavy shootings outside.
He told her that nothing was going on.
He was wrong.
His wife Maryam woke him up and was shouting that she is hearing heavy shootings outside.
He told her that nothing was going on.
He was wrong.
4. Few hours earlier....
April 21st 1990.
The coup plotters met at Great Ogboru's warehouse at Ikorodu.
Major Mukoro (A MOPOL officer) headed the meeting.
After the meeting, the headed to a military Police barracks at Apapa to secure weapons for the coup.
April 21st 1990.
The coup plotters met at Great Ogboru's warehouse at Ikorodu.
Major Mukoro (A MOPOL officer) headed the meeting.
After the meeting, the headed to a military Police barracks at Apapa to secure weapons for the coup.
5. The arrested Col. Ajiborisha who controlled the place and moved him to Ojo cantonment.
At Ojo, they were seeking to get higher fire power so they could lead the charge on Dodan Barracks and Defence House Ikoyi (housing IBB and Abacha respectively)
At Ojo, they were seeking to get higher fire power so they could lead the charge on Dodan Barracks and Defence House Ikoyi (housing IBB and Abacha respectively)
6. Another group went to FRCN to secure the radio station.
Now it starts....
Lt. Col Echendu grabbed an armour vehicle from state house and drove it to FRCN. This was very unnecessary.
The noise attracted the IBB household but they paid not much attention to it.
Now it starts....
Lt. Col Echendu grabbed an armour vehicle from state house and drove it to FRCN. This was very unnecessary.
The noise attracted the IBB household but they paid not much attention to it.
7. Mukoro already at FRCN orders him to go back to Dodan Barracks to attack there
Now most tanks at Dodan barracks were obsolete
IBB's ADC Lt.Col Usman Bello sensing a coup was happening rushes into a tank to repel the attackers.
Now most tanks at Dodan barracks were obsolete
IBB's ADC Lt.Col Usman Bello sensing a coup was happening rushes into a tank to repel the attackers.
8. He enters the tank, finds out that the tank was useless, climbs out and they shoot him dead.
A Capt. Omowa ferried IBB through a secret tunnel and he remained underground for days coordinating with Abacha.
They failed to kill him.
A Capt. Omowa ferried IBB through a secret tunnel and he remained underground for days coordinating with Abacha.
They failed to kill him.
9. Now to Defence House attack....
Abacha rarely slept at night due to recreational activities in nearby guesthouse with exotic foreign women.
So when Lt. Henry Ogboru led troops to Defence House, Abacha was not available.
Abacha rarely slept at night due to recreational activities in nearby guesthouse with exotic foreign women.
So when Lt. Henry Ogboru led troops to Defence House, Abacha was not available.
10. They proceeded to nearby guesthouses and opened fire on Abacha guards there and shelled the buildings.
Their mistake was that they didn't do a room to room search for Abacha.
When the dust clears, they leave and didn't realize that Abacha was still alive.
Their mistake was that they didn't do a room to room search for Abacha.
When the dust clears, they leave and didn't realize that Abacha was still alive.
11. Ibrahim Abacha (His first son) drives to the guest house and finds his dad alive but in shock
Abacha dresses up in mufti, brings out two Uzi submachine gun, he hands one to his son and tells him to drive, he sits at the front while two bodyguards also armed sit at the back
Abacha dresses up in mufti, brings out two Uzi submachine gun, he hands one to his son and tells him to drive, he sits at the front while two bodyguards also armed sit at the back
12. He visits Flag staff house where some loyal troops angry with the coupist declare loyalty to Abacha.
Why were the troops angry?
Orkar in a speech, accused 5 Northern states of owning Nigeria and said there would be excised from the country.
Why were the troops angry?
Orkar in a speech, accused 5 Northern states of owning Nigeria and said there would be excised from the country.
13. This talk angered soldiers who were mostly Northern from those states.
I AM COMING LET ME EAT.
I AM COMING LET ME EAT.
14. OK I'M BACK
So Brigadier Bamayi retook Ikeja cantonment alongside Northerners and step by step took over key barracks and FRCN in Lagos under Abacha's direction.
Now the fate of the coup plotters...
So Brigadier Bamayi retook Ikeja cantonment alongside Northerners and step by step took over key barracks and FRCN in Lagos under Abacha's direction.
Now the fate of the coup plotters...
15. Mukoro and Nyiam (Top officers involved in the coup) were stranded.
Coup don fail.
They brought out their guns to commit suicide then changed their mind to attempt escape.
They drove off and got to 3rd Mainland bridge where people there ferried them over water
Coup don fail.
They brought out their guns to commit suicide then changed their mind to attempt escape.
They drove off and got to 3rd Mainland bridge where people there ferried them over water
16. They later escaped through Benin republic to the U.K and U.S respectively.
Great Ogboru who was the financier, escaped to Europe.
Echendu ran to the U.S after attempts by the SSS to catch him failed.
Abacha, a very vengeful man, arrested their family members
Great Ogboru who was the financier, escaped to Europe.
Echendu ran to the U.S after attempts by the SSS to catch him failed.
Abacha, a very vengeful man, arrested their family members
17. E.g Great Ogboru's brother Turner Ogboru (who was not even in talking terms with his brother) was arrested and detained.
Shonekan released him but when Abacha seized power, he reversed Shonekan's orders.
The man suffered in detention.
Shonekan released him but when Abacha seized power, he reversed Shonekan's orders.
The man suffered in detention.
18. What happened to Orkar?
He was arrested because he refused to escape alongside 300 soldiers (innocent and guilty soldiers)
They was tried, found guilty and executed.
He made so many statements that I want to point out.
He was arrested because he refused to escape alongside 300 soldiers (innocent and guilty soldiers)
They was tried, found guilty and executed.
He made so many statements that I want to point out.
19. He said as long as Junior officers from a certain ethnic group were alive, IBB had no resting place.
Two years after that statement, 150 middle-grade officers from a particular region were killed in a C-130 plane crash in 1992.
Coincidence?
Two years after that statement, 150 middle-grade officers from a particular region were killed in a C-130 plane crash in 1992.
Coincidence?
20. Reasons for the coup
He accused IBB of being corrupt, drug baronish, prodigalistic, sadistic, deceitful and unpatriotic... (His words)
He also named 5 states in the North namely Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, Borno and Bauchi as being the headaches of Nigeria
He accused IBB of being corrupt, drug baronish, prodigalistic, sadistic, deceitful and unpatriotic... (His words)
He also named 5 states in the North namely Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, Borno and Bauchi as being the headaches of Nigeria
21. He said he would cut them out till they met certain conditions
He wanted restructuring of Nigeria into states. Each state was to have control of their Police, resources etc.
This was to lay a strong Egalitarian foundation for the real take off of the Nigerian state.
He wanted restructuring of Nigeria into states. Each state was to have control of their Police, resources etc.
This was to lay a strong Egalitarian foundation for the real take off of the Nigerian state.
22. The effect of the coup on IBB.
The coup demystified IBB as a man well loved by the military.
It also hastened the moving of the capital from Lagos to FCT
It also made IBB more paranoid.
It gave Abacha more powers within the military.
THE END!
The coup demystified IBB as a man well loved by the military.
It also hastened the moving of the capital from Lagos to FCT
It also made IBB more paranoid.
It gave Abacha more powers within the military.
THE END!
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