Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd.), has revealed that he had no foreknowledge of the July 1966 counter-coup, which led to the assassination of then Head of State, Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, and plunged Nigeria into one of its most turbulent political crises.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE News on Wednesday, Gowon, who was Chief of Army Staff at the time, said although he sensed tension within the military, the plot unfolded too quickly for him to stop it.
Gowon stated, “I didn’t know about the July counter-coup ahead of time. When I began to sense something might be wrong, I tried to warn General Ironsi, but unfortunately, it was too late.”
The July 29, 1966 counter-coup, led predominantly by northern officers, was a reprisal for the January 1966 coup that toppled the First Republic and killed top northern political and military leaders.
The July insurrection claimed the lives of Ironsi and Lt. Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, then Military Governor of the Western Region.
Gowon said the death of Ironsi, under whom he had loyally served, left him heartbroken.
He said, “When I was informed about his death, it was a terrible moment for me. I had served under Ironsi and respected him. It pained me deeply that we couldn’t stop it.”
He described the days following the coup as chaotic and frightening, as the military and nation teetered on the brink of collapse.
Following the coup, Nigeria briefly experienced a power vacuum, with different factions proposing conflicting leadership options. Eventually, Gowon was chosen by his fellow officers to lead the country, despite being junior in rank to some.
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