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The Supreme Military Council was the body that ruled Nigeria after the coup d'état in 1966 until it was dissolved following the Nigerian parliamentary election, 1979 and the Second Nigerian Republic.
According to a Constitutional Decree, published in Lagos on 17 March 1967, legislative and executive power was vested in the Supreme Military Council. The Chairman of the Council was the head of the Military Government.
The Supreme Military Council consisted of the Regional Military Governors and the Military Administrator of the Federal Territory, the Heads of the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and the Inspector-General of Police or his Deputy.
The Supreme Military Council could delegate powers to a Federal Executive council, predominantly composed of civilian Commissioners.
The initial President of the Supreme Military Council was Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. He was replaced by Murtala Mohammed (in 1975) and Olusegun Obasanjo (in 1976) in successive coups.
Following the 1983 Nigerian coup d'état, Muhammadu Buhari created another Supreme Military Council that lasted until 1985.
Members
The Military Governors of the twelve states of the federation were ex-officio members of the committee.