NAMES OF PRINCIPAL COUP PLOTTERS OF JULY 28 1966

The 1966 Nigerian counter-coup, or the so-called "July Rematch", was the second of many military coups in Nigeria. It was masterminded by Lt. Colonel Murtala Muhammed^[1] and many northern military officers. The coup began as a mutiny at roughly midnight on July 28, 1966 and was a reaction to the killings of Northern politicians and Officers by mostly Igbo soldiers on January 15, 1966  The July mutiny/counter coup resulted in the murder of Nigeria's first military Head of State General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi and Lt Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi (who was hosting a visiting Aguiyi-Ironsi) in Ibadan by disgruntled northern non-commissioned officers (NCOs). Upon the termination of Ironsi's government, Lt. Colonel Yakubu Gowon was appointed Head of State by the July 1966 coup conspirators.

Reasons for the counter-coup

According to historian Max Siollun northern soldiers had a list of grievances following the aborted January 15, 1966, coup which led to the planning of the counter-coup. A list of their grievances were:

• The murder of northern civilian leaders and military officers in the aborted January 15, 1966, coup d'etat
• The January 15, 1966, coup conspirators (mostly Majors) had not been tried for treason and were being paid while in detention
• The passage of the Unification Decree
• Rumors of an "Igbo coup" to eliminate northern soldiers
• The promotion of several Igbo Majors to Lt. Colonel
• Rumors of General Aguiyi-Ironsi's ethnic favoritism toward Igbos
• Plans to swap the 1st and 4th battalions and plans to rotate the military governors of the different regions

Coup participants

The principal coup plotters are listed below:

• Lt. Colonel Joseph Akahan (Commander, 4th Bataillon Kaduna)
• Lt. Colonel Murtala Muhammed (Inspector of Signals, Lagos)
• Major Theophilus Danjuma (Principal Staff Officer, Army HQ, Lagos)
• Major Abba Kyari (Artillery, Kaduna)
• Major Martin Adamu (2nd Battalion Lagos)
• Major Shittu Alao (Nigerian Airforce HQ, Lagos)
• Major Musa Usman (Nigerian Air Force, Lagos)
• Captain Joseph Garba (Federal Guards Lagos)
• Captain Isa Bukar (Federal Guards Lagos)
• Captain Ibrahim Taiwo (Lagos Garrison Yaba)
• Captain Baba Usman GSO (Grade II, Army HQ, Lagos)
• Captain Abdul D.S. Wya (3rd Battalion, Kaduna)
• Lieutenant Muhammadu Buhari (2 Brigade Lagos)
• Lieutenant Ibrahim Babangida (1st Reconnaissance Squadron, Kaduna)
• Lieutenant Ibrahim Bako (4th Battalion, Ibadan)
• Lieutenant William Walbe (2nd Battalion, Lagos)
• Lieutenant Mamman Vatsa (4th Battalion, Ibadan)
• Lieutenant Buka Suka Dimka (Nigerian Military Training College Kaduna)
• Lieutenant Yakubu Dambo (3rd Battalion Kaduna)
• Lieutenant Garba A. Dada (Adjutant 4th Battalion Ibadan)
• Lieutenant Garba Duba (1 Reconnaissance Squadron Kaduna)
• Lieutenant Mohammed Balarabe Haladu (4th Battalion, Ibadan)
• Lieutenant Malami Mahe Nassarawa (2nd Battalion, Lagos)
• Lieutenant James Onoja (4th Battalion, Ibadan)
• Lieutenant Abdulahhi Shelleng (Company Commander, 4th Battalion, Ibadan)
• Lieutenant Paul Chabri Tarfa (Federal Guards, Lagos)
• Lieutenant D.S. Abubakar (Abeokuta Garrison)
• Second Lieutenant Sani Abacha (3rd Battalion Kaduna)
• Second Lieutenant Muhammadu Gado Nasko (Artillery, Kaduna)
• Sergeant Paul Dickson
• Sergeant Sabo Kwale (Abeokuta Garrison)
• Corporal John Shagaya (2nd Reconnaissance Squadron, Abeokuta)