Nigeria: The January 1966 Crisis

"(Lagos, Nigeria) St. Petersburg Times, January 18, 1966. The leader of the bloody uprising that propelled Nigeria to the brink of civil war has surrendered, the provincial military government announced yesterday. The surrender of rebel Chukwuma Nzeogwu apparently placed the entire military squarely behind Major-General Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi, the 41-year old Army ...Commander-in-Chief who took over the government Sunday. Radio reports quoted Ironsi as saying Nzeogwu had surrendered his command and offered to serve the new government. Ironsi said he had accepted Nzeogwu's pledge of loyalty to the new government. It was uncertain whether disciplinary was planned against the rebels. Ironsi attributed the Satuday revolt to general disorder in the Army.' He said every effort was being made to locate Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Finance Minister Festus Okotie Eboh who were kidnapped in the early hours (January 15, 1966).

Ironsi who some observers saw as a potential military strongman, said he had no desire to become permanent leader of the vast West African Republic and its 56-million inhabitants. He said, however, a 'Supreme Military Council' would rule Nigeria until a new constitution can be brought into being according to the wishes of the people. Meanwhile, Ghana accorded swift recognition to the new regime but Britain - former colonial ruler of the African State - held back, apparently to wait out developments there. The British government said it received confirmation last night that rebel resistance in the northern province of Nigeria had collapse...'"

----St. Petersburg Times, January 18, 1966