On 15 January 1966, Nigeria experienced its first military coup d’état, a pivotal event that ended the First Republic and reshaped the country’s political future. At the heart of this dramatic moment was Operation Damisa. Operation Damisa was part of the conspiracy to mobilise troops under cover of darkness and execute a coordinated overthrow of civilian government leadership. This article tells, in clear factual terms drawn from verified historical sources, what Operation Damisa was, how it unfolded, and why it matters to Nigeria’s history.
Background: Nigeria Before the Coup
In the early 1960s, Nigeria was navigating the complex early years of independence. Ethnic tensions, economic difficulties, and widespread allegations of political corruption created a climate of mistrust among the populace and within the military. Many officers believed that civilian politicians were failing the nation, and debates about corruption and fairness were widespread.
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Amidst this backdrop, a small group of army officers began meeting to discuss how to respond. Their dissatisfaction was political in nature, rooted in a belief that the civilian leadership had lost legitimacy. From these discussions emerged plans that would change Nigeria’s trajectory.
What Was Operation Damisa?
Operation Damisa was the label applied by coup plotters to a series of nighttime troop activities in the weeks leading up to 15 January 1966. These activities were held around Kaduna, then an important military hub in northern Nigeria. In official army terms, they were presented as training exercises, but their true purpose was to prepare selected soldiers for the forthcoming coup.
The name “Damisa,” derived from a Hausa word meaning “leopard,” was the conspirators’ operational code. The activity involved night‑time movement of troops and equipment, ostensibly to build proficiency in night operations. This cover was crucial. It allowed the plotters to assemble the personnel and matériel they needed without alerting senior commanders or the public to their intentions.
Unlike regular army training exercises, Operation Damisa was organised secretly by a small group of junior officers who were positioned to recruit and lead soldiers without full disclosure to higher command. Senior commanders did not know until the night of 15 January that a coup was imminent.
How Operation Damisa Fueled the Coup
In the early hours of 15 January 1966, Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu revealed the truth behind Operation Damisa to the soldiers under his command. What had been presented as a training exercise became an active coup mission.
Troops mobilised under the cover of darkness to seize key political and administrative targets. In Kaduna, they moved against the residence of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Premier of the Northern Region. Bello and his wife were killed during the takeover. Similar actions unfolded in other regions, targeting prominent political figures and military officers perceived as obstacles to the conspirators’ objectives.
The coup was not uniformly successful across the country. In some places, planned actions were thwarted by commanders who were not part of the plot or by poor communication among conspirators. Nonetheless, the momentum generated that night was sufficient to destabilise civilian rule and create a power vacuum that senior military officers would soon fill.
Outcome: How the Coup Shifted Power
By 18 January 1966, Major‑General Johnson Aguiyi‑Ironsi, the most senior military officer not implicated in the coup planning, had suppressed resistance to the mutiny in many parts of the country and assumed control of the government.
Ironsi’s intervention stabilised the immediate post‑coup environment but also set a precedent for military intervention in Nigeria’s political affairs. What began as a covert operation under a misleading label ended with the military as the governing authority, ushering in a period of military domination of politics that would last, with interruptions, for decades.
Operation Damisa: Clearing Up Misunderstandings
Operation Damisa is often misunderstood in popular narratives. Here are key points grounded in verified historical reporting:
It was not a standard army training exercise.
Although described as training by those involved, it was engineered as a cover for mobilisation and conspiracy.
It was not independent of the January 1966 coup.
Damisa was part of the operational plan. It was not a separate long‑running programme, but a tactical label for the lead‑up to the coup that had political intent from the start.
Its name and activities were designed to conceal intent.
The conspirators used the exercise label to mask their true objectives, allowing them to prepare without detection by senior military leadership.
The actions taken that night had immediate political consequences.
The mobilisation under Operation Damisa directly facilitated the coup’s execution when plotters revealed their true goal in the early hours of 15 January.
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Legacy and Historical Importance
Operation Damisa is significant because it demonstrates how military structures and protocols can be manipulated for political ends when oversight is weak and trust between civilian and military leadership breaks down. The January 1966 coup and its aftermath altered Nigeria’s political landscape, contributing to cycles of military rule and civil conflict, including the Nigerian Civil War that followed in 1967.
Understanding Damisa helps readers grasp not only the fact of the coup but the method: covert preparation, strategic deception, and rapid execution. These remain critical to understanding the interplay between military and politics in Nigeria.
Author’s Note
Operation Damisa was not a routine training exercise. It was a coded operational label used by a small group of military officers to prepare troops for a planned takeover of civilian government in January 1966. Its deceptive presentation allowed conspirators to mobilise forces without alerting senior commanders. When the plotters unveiled their true mission on 15 January, they triggered Nigeria’s first military coup, killing prominent political leaders and ending the First Republic. The events set the stage for decades of military involvement in Nigerian politics. This story reminds readers how covert actions within military structures can have far-reaching national consequences.
References
• 1966 Nigerian coup d’état verified details of planning, execution and role of Operation Damisa.
• IBB disclosures on motivations and naming of Operation Damisa (Daily Post Nigeria).
• Analysis of the January 1966 coup, including preparation and execution (The Guardian Nigeria).
