On the early morning of 15 January 1966, Nigeria’s first military coup unfolded and fundamentally altered the country’s political journey. Among the most prominent casualties was Brigadier Samuel Adesujo Ademulegun, commander of the Nigerian Army’s 1st Brigade in Kaduna, and his wife, Latifat Feyisitan Abike Ademulegun, who was eight months pregnant when she was killed beside her husband in their home. Their deaths symbolise the breakdown of order and the human cost of that historic event.
Early Life and Military Career
Brigadier Samuel Ademulegun was born on 20 October 1924 in Ondo Town, Western Nigeria. He joined the Nigerian Army as a private in 1942 and was commissioned as an officer in 1949, becoming one of the earliest Nigerian-trained commissioned officers. By 1966, he had risen to the rank of Brigadier and was a respected senior commander responsible for the 1st Brigade in Kaduna, a key military formation.
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Ademulegun’s service was marked by professionalism and strict adherence to military discipline. He was regarded as one of Nigeria’s most capable officers, trusted with the defence of the northern region. He was married to Latifat Feyisitan Abike Ademulegun (née Noble). At the time of the coup, they had six children, two of whom were asleep in the bedroom when the soldiers arrived.
Nigeria on the Edge: Political and Military Tensions
By the mid-1960s, Nigeria was experiencing political instability. The First Republic, established in 1960, faced corruption allegations, electoral disputes, ethnic tensions and regional rivalries. Many junior army officers felt the political leadership had failed the nation, leading to plans to seize power and remove what they saw as a corrupt order. Seminal figures coordinating the coup included Major Kaduna Nzeogwu and other junior officers.
The army itself was not immune to national discontent. As a professional force, it was structured by rank and discipline, but a faction of young officers believed drastic action was necessary to “restore the nation.”
The Attack on the Ademulegans
At approximately 02:00 hours on 15 January 1966, a team of soldiers under the command of Major Timothy Onwuatuegwu entered Brigadier Ademulegun’s residence at No 1, Kashim Ibrahim Road, Kaduna. Armed with sub-machine guns, they went to the bedroom where the Brigadier and his wife lay asleep.
The soldiers demanded access to military assets, aiming to disable loyalist officers. In the confrontation, both Brigadier Ademulegun and his wife were shot and killed. Latifat Ademulegun, heavily pregnant, died alongside her husband. Their two young children, aged around six and four, were present and witnessed the tragedy.
After their deaths, soldiers removed the bodies. The remains of the Brigadier, his wife, and their unborn child were never publicly disclosed, and the family continued to seek information about their burial location.
The Broader Coup and Its Casualties
The attack on the Ademuleguns was part of simultaneous actions across Nigeria. In Lagos and Ibadan, other senior military and civilian leaders were killed, including:
- Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Prime Minister
- Sir Ahmadu Bello, Premier of the Northern Region
- Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, Premier of the Western Region
- Brigadier Zakariya Maimalari, commander of the 2nd Brigade
- Colonel Ralph Shodeinde
- Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Unegbe
- Colonel Kur Mohammed
- Other military personnel and police officers
These killings included both political and military leaders, underscoring the comprehensive scope of the mutiny.
Immediate Aftermath and Legacy
Although the January coup succeeded in removing senior leadership, it did not stabilise Nigeria. Instead, it led to confusion, mistrust, and ethnic tension within both the military and the wider nation. In the months that followed, a counter-coup in July 1966 and subsequent civil unrest contributed to the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970).
For Nigeria’s military, the removal of experienced commanders like Brigadier Ademulegun weakened the tradition of unified command and opened the door to recurring interference in politics. For Nigerians at large, the coup shattered emerging democratic structures and introduced decades of military rule.
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Author’s Note
Brigadier Samuel Ademulegun and his wife, Latifat, were killed in their Kaduna home during the 15 January 1966 coup, a pivotal moment that ended the First Republic and began decades of military intervention in Nigeria. Their deaths, alongside other senior leaders, reflect the human cost of political instability and the fragility of democratic institutions at the time. The story of their loss continues to resonate as a cautionary reminder of the consequences of unchecked power and the importance of preserving professional integrity within the military.
References
Federal Government of Nigeria Official Gazette, Federal Ministry of Information Printing Division
January 15 1966: A Morning of Murder Mayhem and Carnage, TheCable
Ademulegun: 60 Years Search for Disclosure for an Unsung Hero, THISDAYLIVE
