29/07/2024
On July 29, 1966, Nigeria experienced one of its bloodiest coups, known as the counter-coup or the “July Rematch.” This coup was orchestrated by northern military officers in reaction to the January 1966 coup, which had brought Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi to power. The counter-coup led to the assassination of Ironsi and Lieutenant Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, the Military Governor of the Western Region.
The coup was marked by widespread violence and targeted killings, especially against Igbo officers and civilians. This event significantly heightened ethnic tensions and set the stage for further instability in Nigeria, eventually contributing to the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War in 1967.