The 1966 Coup is not an Igbo coup — Says Major Bashir Shuaibu Galma (Rtd).

Bashir Shuaibu Galma has argued that the coup should not be described as an "Igbo coup." His position is based on several points, including: The conspirators included officers from different ethnic backgrounds. Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu himself was born and raised in northern Nigeria and identified strongly with the North, although he was ethnically Igbo. Some Igbo military and political figures were also targeted or killed. The coup's stated objectives focused on ending corruption and political instability rather than advancing an ethnic agenda. On the other hand, many contemporaries—especially in northern Nigeria—came to view it as an Igbo coup because many of the senior politicians and officers killed were northern or western leaders, while prominent Igbo leaders, including Nnamdi Azikiwe (who was abroad at the time) and Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, survived. That perception contributed significantly to the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup and the subsequent ethnic violence. In summary, Major Bashir Shuaibu Galma's view that the January 1966 coup was not an "Igbo coup" is one of several perspectives and aligns with a number of historians who argue against an ethnic interpretation. However, the claim that Adekunle Fajuyi was the leader of the January 1966 coup is not supported by the mainstream historical consensus, even though it has been advanced in some alternative accounts. #Igbo #NigeriaHistory #1966Coup #NigerianHistory #CivilWarHistory #Biafra #HistoryMatters #AfricanHistory #MilitaryHistory #HistoryDocumentary #MajorBashirGalma #ChukwumaNzeogwu #AdekunleFajuyi #PoliticalHistory #HistoricalDebate #Nigeria