Military Era & Coups in Nigeria
Military regimes, coups, economic policies, and the transition to democratic governance in Nigeria from 1966 to 1999.
When Citizens Tolerate Military Intervention: Why Some Populations Accept Army Rule
In democracies and emerging democracies around the world, surveys have shown that while most people prefer democratic governance, significant minorities in certain countries are...
Festus Okotie‑Eboh: The Man, The Minister and The Myths in Nigeria’s Early Financial History
Festus Samuel Okotie‑Eboh was born on 18 July 1912 in Warri, in the Niger Delta, to an Itsekiri chiefly family. He attended Sapele Baptist...
Betrayal, Power and Revenge: How Nigeria’s First Military Coups Redefined a Nation
On January 15, 1966, Nigeria’s First Republic was violently toppled by a group of young army majors in what became the country’s first military coup. The...
How Kam Salem and Louis Edet Shaped Policing in Nigeria’s Formative Years
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is Nigeria’s principal law enforcement institution, responsible for internal security and public order. Since its formal establishment as a...
Nigeria’s Security Leadership Changes: Strategic Response Amid Escalating Violence
In late 2025, Nigeria’s federal government announced major changes to the leadership of its armed forces and took steps to expand police numbers in...
Was the Nigerian Army Politicised Before the 1966 Coup?
The military coup of 15 January 1966 is often described as the moment Nigeria’s army entered politics. This interpretation is misleading. Evidence from Nigeria’s...
From Barracks to Coup: The 4th Battalion in Ibadan and Nigeria’s 1966 Crisis
The 4th Battalion of the Nigerian Army traces its roots to the colonial 4th Queen’s Own Nigeria Regiment. By 1960, it was stationed in...
Chaos in Western Nigeria: Political Violence and Arson that Shook the First Republic
Western Nigeria in the early 1960s experienced a period of intense political turmoil marked by street violence, arson, and public disorder. These crises, particularly...
Rigged Elections Ignite Chaos in Nigeria’s Western Region
In the mid-1960s, Nigeria’s First Republic faced one of its most severe political crises. Nowhere was this more visible than in the Western Region,...
Samuel Ladoke Akintola and the NNDP: How the Western Region Lost Political Legitimacy
The Western Region crisis of the early 1960s remains one of the most consequential episodes in Nigeria’s political history. At its centre was Samuel...