Military Rebellion of 15th January 1966 Part II By Nowamagbe Omoigui, MD, MPH, FACC This is the Police Report on the official investigation into the coup of 15 January 1966. It was prepared by Police Special Branch Interrogators based on interviews with soldiers, other ranks and some officers who had been arrested after the mutiny. None of the soldiers and officers involved had come to formal trial in a court-martial as of the time of the July 29 1966 counter-coup. Indeed the fact they were not court-martialed was one of the grievances listed by those officers who carried out the unfortunate operations of July 28-August 1, 1966. The coup report was released to very few individuals in Nigeria and certain foreign governments in early August 1966 - and then leaked. The remainder of the report which allegedly implicated certain other persons has apparently never been released widely to this day. It exists, we are on its trail - and shall publish it on sight. ASSASSINATION OF LT. COL PAM 50. Major Chukuka assisted by 2/Lt G Onyefuru and the other ranks NA 160152 Sgt. NN Ugongene - No. 1 Signal Squadron NA 18150196 Sgt. H. Okibe - No. 1 Signal Squadron NA 154544 Sgt. B. Anyanwu - Camp - HQ 2 Bde NA NA 403298 Sgt. L. Egbukichi - Army HQ (LGO) NA 18150416 Sgt. P. Iwueke - HQ 2 Bde NA had by then accomplished the arrest of Lt. Col. JY Pam and was being guarded inside a landrover in the Mess premises. Majors Chukuka and Anuforo held a brief discussion after which both Majors entered the Landrover. The driver was ordered to proceed to Ikoyi. 51. At a point inside Ikoyi the landrover was stopped and both Majors descended. Major Anuforo ordered Lt. Col. Pam to leave the vehicle, which he did. Major Anuforo then spoke to him and told him that he was going to be killed and would do well to say his prayers first. Lt. Col. Pam pleaded but Major Anuforo remained adamant, stating that he was carrying out orders. Then without warning Major Anuforo fired a burst from his SMG into Lt. Col. Pams body killing him on the spot. 52. Major Anuforo then ordered the NCOs in the landrover to come down and load the dead body into the vehicle. The men, who were shocked and frightened by the killing were reluctant to comply with this order and refused to leave the vehicle until Major Anuforo pointed his SMG at them and threatened to kill them unless they did as they were told. They then obeyed and loaded the corpse. The party then drove back to the Federal Guard Officers Mess where the body was off-loaded and placed alongside the bodies of Col. Mohammed and Lt. Col. Unegbe. ASSASSINATION OF BRIG. MAIMALARI 53. The assassination of Brigadier Z. Mai-Malari as originally conceived in the conspirators Master plan failed. 54. Major DO Okafor and Captain Oji were present at HQ 2 Bde when troops were being mustered and issued with arms and ammunition. When these arrangements had been completed these two officers entered Major Okafors personal car accompanied by the following ORs from No. 1. Signal Squadron: NA 500611 L/Cpl B Okotto NA 18150074 L/Cpl P Esekwe 55. They drove direct to the Federal Guard Unit in Dodan Barracks, Ikoyi, where, in the meantime, Lt. Ezedigbo and 2/Lt. Igweze had roused additional troops and arranged for the issue of arms and ammunition. By the time the troops were ready for the alleged IS operations, Major Okafor and Captain Oji had arrived at the barracks and were at the Unit guardroom. Major Okafor ordered that troops mount into 2 Federal Guard Landrovers detailed for the operation by Ezedigbo 56. Federal Guard personnel detailed for this operation were the following: NA 3785 Sgt. SA Umch NA 18150997 Sgt. N. Ibundu NA 18149870 L/Cpl N. Noji NA 3995 L/Cpl HH Okeke NA 18149870 L/Cpl P. Nnah NA 1706 Pte. J. Ogu NA 18149723 Pte. S. Eke NA 18141571 Pte. I. Onoja NA 18148787 Pte. JF Enunehe NA 18149970 Pte. J Abaye NA 3695 Pte. CS Dede NA 18151261 Pte. S. Adekunle 57. The following vehicles were used: Landrover NA 773 - driven by Pte. I Onoja Landrover NA 957 - driven by L/Cpl N. Noji 58. The party drove direct to the house of Brigadier Z. Mai-Malari at 11 Thompson Avenue, Ikoyi. This is a corner house and situated at the point where Brown road runs into Thompson Avenue. On arrival at their destination, the troops were dismounted and divided into three sections commanded as shown: No. 1 Section - Captain Oji No. 2 Section - 2/Lt C Igweze No. 3 Section - Sgt. SA Umch (in reserve) 59. The reserve section under Sgt. Umch was ordered to take post in a dark place opposite the house. The three officers, followed by their men then entered the compound which was guarded by NCOs and men of the 2 Battalion NA. Major Okafor ordered the Sentry to call the Guard Commander whom he informed that the situation was bad and that he, Okafor, had come to take over the guard. He instructed the Guard Commander to assemble his men and to take them back to his unit. The Guard Commander, according to some of the ORs interrogated, replied that he could not obey this order as he had received no instructions to that effect. Major Okafor and Captain Oji overruled the Guard Commanders objections and entered the compound 60. Whilst Major Okafor was pre-occupied with the guard the telephone in the downstairs lounge of the Brigadiers house started to ring. Some of the men present, including 2/Lt. Igweze, have stated that the Brigadier came downstairs to answer the telephone. No sooner had he picked up the receiver than a burst of SMG fire was heard in the compound. This was Captain Oji firing at a member of the Brigadiers Guard, a L/Cpl of 2 battalion. The L/Cpl was killed and his body later placed into Major Okafors Landrover. At the same time, L/Cpl Paul Nwekwe of 2 Brigade Signal Troop who was on gaurd in the front of the main gate to the compound, was hit in the neck by a bullet, thought to be a richochet. 61. Brigadier Mai-Malari, alerted to the presence of Major Okafors force in his compound by Captain Ojis burst of fire dropped the telephone and, followed by his wife, was observed running into the boys quarters. From there he escaped into the road, and it is thought, tried to make his way to the Federal Guard Barracks. 62. According to the ORs interrogated, Major Okafor flew into a rage when he discovered that the Brigadier had escaped and bitterly blamed the men of the Federal Guard for not shooting the Brigadier when they saw him running towards the boys quarters. He then ordered all present that the Brigadier must be shot on sight. 63. Major Okafor then jumped into the landrover driven by L/Cpl Noji. He informed 2/Lt Igweze that he was going to get that man and to arrange for more troops to come to the Brigadiers House. He drove around the area for some time but failed to find the Brigadier. By the time he returned to 11 Thompson Avenue, Major Ademoyega and Captain Adeleke had arrived there in a landrover driven by L/Cpl D. Omeru. Major Ademoyega had already informed Captain Oji that the Brigadier had been killed and that he had seen his body at the Federal Guard. Captain Oji was overheard telling Okafor that the Jack had been killed. It is presumed that by the Jack Oji meant the Brigadier. Major Okafor then informed the troops with him that Brigadier Mai-Malari had been killed by men from another unit. 64. The time, by then, was nearly 0400 hrs. captain Oji was ordered by Major Okafor to proceed to 2nd Battalion in Ikeja to check the situation there. The Captain left in landrover NA 773 accompanied by Sgt. H. Irundu, L/Cpl H Okeke, Pte. S. Adekunle and Pte. I Onoja. 65. As stated elsewhere in this report, Major Ifeajuna and his convoy, after the abduction of the PM and the Finance Minister, drove towards the Federal Guards Officers mess where he made a brief stop and then proceeded toward Ikoyi Hotel, still with the PM in the car. At a point in the Golf course, adjacent to a petrol station Brigadier Mai-Malari was walking towards Dodan Barracks when he saw Major Ifeajunas car. The Brigadier recognized his Brigade Major Ifeajuna and shouted and beckoned him to stop. Then Ifeajuna stopped the car and accompanied by 2/Lt Ezedigbo went towards Brig. Mai-Malari and killed him. 66. After the Brigadier had been killed, his body was loaded into the 3-Tonner and driven to the Federal Guard Officers Mess. ASSASSINATION OF LT. COL. LARGEMA 67. Although not initially alloted to Major Ifeajuna as a target for assassination, Major Ifeajuna proceeded to Ikoyi Hotel to kill Lt. Col. Largema. On arrival at the hotel Major Ifeajuna told the receptionist on duty that he had an urgent message for Lt. Col. Largema of Room 115. The time was between 0330 and 0400. He then asked the hotel receptionist to supply him with the master key which can open all doors in the hotel but was told that this was not available. He then ordered the receptionist to lead him to the room in which Lt. Col. Largema was staying, warning the receptionist on the way that he would be shot if he refused to comply with whatever he might be ordered to do. 68. On their arrival on the first floor Major Ifeajuna, accompanied by 2/Lt Ezedigbo instructed the hotel receptionist to knock on the door of Lt. Col. Largema and to inform him that he was wanted on the telephone. It should be pointed out here that rooms in this hotel have no telephones. There are situated in small alcoves in the corridors. In the case of Room 115, the telephone alcove is only a few paces away. 69. Lt. Col Largema responded and came out dressed in pyjamas and slightly dazed by sleep. In the meantime the two armed soldiers had stepped back into the corner near the lifts from where they could not be observed by Lt. Col. Largema when he came out of his door. The Lt. Col. then picked up the receiver, which was off the hook.
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 11:43:03 +0000
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