Former Nigerian Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd.), has denied any involvement or prior knowledge of the July 1966 counter-coup that led to the death of Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi.
Gowon explained that although he observed growing unrest and dissatisfaction within the military ranks, he was unaware of any concrete plans to stage a mutiny until the plot had already begun to unfold.
“I had no idea about the July counter-coup in advance. When I started sensing trouble, I attempted to alert General Ironsi, but by then, events had moved too far,” he said during an interview monitored by The Guild on Wednesday.
While revisiting the events that reshaped Nigeria’s military and political trajectory, Gowon conveyed deep emotional pain and regret over the way the situation spiraled out of control, leading to the loss of respected colleagues and national instability.
“Hearing of his death was devastating. I had worked under him and held him in high esteem. It was heartbreaking that the situation couldn’t be prevented,” he said.
The former Head of State further described the aftermath as a chaotic period, with the military hierarchy thrown into confusion and the nation engulfed in uncertainty.
In the midst of the leadership crisis, Gowon—then one of the more junior officers in the chain of command—was eventually installed as Head of State, a role he assumed in a time of national turmoil.
The counter-coup, which took place on July 29, 1966, was carried out primarily by northern military officers. It was widely seen as retaliation for the earlier January coup, which had resulted in the deaths of prominent northern leaders and the collapse of the civilian government.
During the course of the violent rebellion, both Head of State Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi and the Military Governor of the Western Region, Lieutenant Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, were abducted and brutally killed.
