Nigerian_Counter-Coup_of_1966
1966 Nigerian counter-coup
2nd coup in Nigeria in 1966
The 1966 Nigerian counter-coup (also known as the "July Rematch") was the second of many military coups in Nigeria. It was masterminded by Lt. Colonel Murtala Muhammed[4] and many northern military officers. The coup began as a mutiny at roughly midnight on 28 July 1966[5] and was a reaction to the killings of Northern politicians and officers by some soldiers on 15 January 1966 (see 1966 Nigerian coup d'état). 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).[6] Upon the termination of Ironsi's government, Lt. Colonel Yakubu Gowon was appointed Head of State by the coup conspirators.