Failed Coup Attempt of 1976

On this day February 13, 1976 the Head of the Federal Military Government, Murtala Muhammed was killed, along with his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa, in an abortive coup attempt led by Lt. Col Buka Suka Dimka, when his car was ambushed while en route to his office at Dodan Barracks, Lagos. He was succeeded by the Chief of Staff, Supreme HQ Olusegun Obasanjo

This video is of the aftermath of the coup attempt

Lieutenant Colonel Dimka's Confession 1976

Lieutenant Colonel  Buka Suka Dimka was said to have masterminded the abortive military coup of February 13, 1976 against the government of General Murtala Mohammed. After he and a group of officers (consisting of Major Rabo, Captain Parwang and Lieutenant Seri) had killed the general, along with his aide-de-camp Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa , Dimka made his way to Radio Nigeria where he made this broadcast. 

                                                      *************************

Good morning fellow Nigerians,

This is Lt. Col. B. Dimka of the Nigerian Army calling.

I bring you good tidings. Murtala Muhammed's deficiency has been detected. His government is now overthrown by the young revolutionaries. All the 19 military governors have no powers over the states they now govern. The states affairs will be run by military brigade commanders until further notice.

All commissioners are sacked, except for the armed forces and police commissioners who will be redeployed.

All senior military officers should remain calm in their respective spots. No divisional commanders will issue orders or instructions until further notice.

Any attempt to foil these plans from any quarters will be met with death.

You are warned, it is all over the 19 states.

Any acts of looting or raids will be death.

Everyone should be calm.

Please stay by your radio for further announcements.

All borders, air and sea ports are closed until further notice.

Curfew is imposed from 6am to 6pm.

Thank you. We are all together.

He planned to make a second broadcast but the coup was crushed. Lieutenant Colonel Dimka later fled to eastern Nigeria from the premises of Radio Nigeria

He was eventually arrested and following a court martial, Lieutenant Colonel Dimka and several military officers and civilians were executed by firing squad.

This video is of Dimka listening to his recorded confession and commenting on it.on the 13th March 1976

Sentencing of the first Governor of Ogun State, Victor Onabanjo

Victor Olabisi Onabanjo (February 12, 1927 – April 14, 1990) was the first civilian Governor of Ogun State Nigeria, from October 1979 – December 1983, during Nigerias Second Republic.

Onabanjo was a journalist before becoming the civilian governor of Ogun state; He had edited the Nigerian Citizen and the Daily Service in the 1950s. But it was his stint as editorial director of the Daily Express that led to his popularity. On May 13, 1982 he commissioned Ogun Television.

After the 1983 military coup that installed General Muhammadu Buhari as head of state. Chief Onabanjo was sent to prison on corruption charges. The General Omu’s panel sentenced Onabanjo to 22 years imprisonment.

After his release, he returned to journalism, publishing his "Aiyekooto"column in the Nigerian Tribune from 1987 to 1989. Onabanjo died on April 14, 1990.

The Ogun State University, founded on 7th July 1982 was renamed Olabisi Onabanjo University on May 29, 2001 in his memory.

First Group of NYSC Participants Officially Discharged. 1974

The first group of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) participants were official discharged on Sunday 30TH JUNE 1974 at a special ceremony at Zaria Race Course in Nigeria.

A message from the then Nigerian Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, was read by the Governor. General Gowon praised the participants as "worthy sons of Nigeria" who had brought "a new revolution in the service of young people" to their country.
One of the objectives of the NYSC scheme is to mobilise labour, and the General said that the markets, local council buildings, roads and bridges they had built would stand as a lasting monument to their dedication and selfless service. The students, who pioneered the scheme, were invited to make an appraisal of the operation and to set out any suggestions they had for improving it in the future.