The Nigerian counter-coup of 1966, or the so-called "July Rematch", was the second of many military coups in Nigeria. It was masterminded by Lt Colonel Murtala Muhammed and many northern military officers. The coup started out as a mutiny at roughly midnight on July 28, 1966 and was a reaction to the killings of Northern politicians and Officers by mostly Igbo soldiers on January 15, 1966 (see 1966 Nigerian coup d'état.) The July mutiny/counter coup resulted in the murder of Nigeria's 1st military Head of State General Aguiyi Ironsi and Lt Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi (who was hosting a visiting Ironsi) in Ibadan by angry northern Non Commissioned Officers (NCOs). Upon the termination of Ironsi's government, Lt Colonel Yakubu Gowon was appointed Head of State by the July 1966 coup conspirators.
According to historian Max Siollun northern soldiers had a list of grievances following the aborted January 15, 1966, coup which led to the planning of the counter-coup. A list of their grievances were:
The murder of northern military and civilian leaders in the aborted January 15, 1966, coup
The January 15, 1966, coup conspirators (mostly Majors) had not been tried for treason and were being paid while in detention
The passage of the Unification Decree
Rumors of an "Igbo coup" to eliminate northern soldiers
The promotion of several Igbo Majors to Lt Colonel
Rumors of General Ironsi's ethnic favoritism toward Igbos
Plans to swap the 1st and 4th battalions and plans to rotate the military governors of the different regions
The principal coup plotters are listed below:
2nd Lieutenant Sani Abacha (3rd Battalion Kaduna)
Lieutenant D.S. Abubakar (Abeokuta Garrison)
Major Martin Adamu (2nd Battalion Lagos)
Lt Colonel Joseph Akahan (Commander, 4th Bataillon Kaduna)
Major Shittu Alao (Nigerian Airforce HQ, Lagos)
Lieutenant Ibrahim Babangida (1st Reconnaissance Squadron, Kaduna)
Lieutenant Ibrahim Bako (4th Battalion, Ibadan)
Lieutenant Muhammadu Buhari (2 Brigade Lagos)
Captain Isa Bukar (Federal Guards Lagos)
Lieutenant Yakubu Dambo (3rd Battalion Kaduna)
Lieutenant Garba A. Dada (Adjutant 4th Battalion Ibadan)
Major Theophilus Danjuma (Principal Staff Officer, Army HQ, Lagos)
Sergeant Paul Dickson
Lieutenant Buka Suka Dimka (Nigerian Military Training College Kaduna)
Lieutenant Garba Duba (1 Reconnaissance Squadron Kaduna)
Captain Joseph Garba (Federal Guards Lagos)
Lieutenant Mohammed Balarabe Haladu (4th Battalion, Ibadan)
Major Abba Kyari (Artillery, Kaduna)
Sergeant Sabo Kwale (Abeokuta Garrison)
Lieutenant Colonel Murtala Muhammed (Inspector of Signals, Lagos)
Second Lieutenant Muhammadu Gado Nasko (Artillery, Kaduna)
Lieutenant Malami Mahe Nassarawa (2nd Battalion, Lagos)
Lieutenant James Onoja (4th Battalion, Ibadan)
Corporal John Shagaya (2nd Reconnaissance Squadron, Abeokuta)
Lieutenant Abdulahhi Shelleng (Company Commander, 4th Battalion, Ibadan)
Captain Ibrahim Taiwo (Lagos Garrison Yaba)
Lieutenant Paul Chabri Tarfa (Federal Guards, Lagos)
Captain Baba Usman GSO (Grade II, Army HQ, Lagos)
Major Musa Usman (Nigerian Air Force, Lagos)
Lieutenant William Walbe (2nd Battalion, Lagos)
Lieutenant Mamman Vatsa (4th Battalion, Ibadan)
Captain Abdul D.S. Wya (3rd Battalion, Kaduna)
