Buka Suka Dimka
Encyclopedia
Buka Suka Dimka, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Nigerian army
(an officer of the army physical training corps), led the February 13, 1976 abortive military coup against the government of General Murtala Ramat Mohammed. General Mohammed was assassinated along with his Aide-de-Camp
Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa
, as well as his driver and orderly, when his Mercedes-Benz
was ambushed in Ikoyi, Lagos
. The coup itself was crushed several hours later by forces loyal to the government. Lieutenant Colonel Dimka fled from the premises of Radio Nigeria at Ikoyi where he had made a broadcast to the nation. He was eventually arrested in the company of a prostitute in Eastern Nigeria
. Following a court martial, Lieutenant Colonel Dimka and another 38 military officers and civilians were executed by firing squad.
In a planned broadcast to the nation, Lieutenant Colonel Dimka had cited corruption, indecision, arrest and detention without trial, weakness on the part of the Head of State and maladministration in general as the reasons for overthrowing the government.
The former military head of state, General Yakubu Gowon
(who had been overthrown by General Mohammed in July 1975) was implicated in the abortive coup but escaped justice as he was living in exile in London. The British Government refused to extradite him. Years later he was given an official pardon by civilian president Shehu Shagari
since there was insufficient evidence to convict him of involvement.
General Murtala Mohammed was succeeded by Lieutenant General Olusegun Obasanjo.
Buka Suka Dimka was publicly shot at the Bar Beach
in Lagos
.
Military of Nigeria
The Nigerian Armed Forces are the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The military has active duty personnel in three armed services, totaling approximately 85,000 troops and 82,000 paramilitary personnel. Its origins lie in the elements of the Royal West African Frontier Force that...
(an officer of the army physical training corps), led the February 13, 1976 abortive military coup against the government of General Murtala Ramat Mohammed. General Mohammed was assassinated along with his Aide-de-Camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa
Akintunde Akinsehinwa
Akintunde Akinsehinwa was the Aide-de-Camp to Murtala Ramat Mohammed - military ruler of Nigeria .Akintunde Akinsehinwa was born in Ondo town in Ondo State, Nigeria on November 11, 1944...
, as well as his driver and orderly, when his Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
was ambushed in Ikoyi, Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
. The coup itself was crushed several hours later by forces loyal to the government. Lieutenant Colonel Dimka fled from the premises of Radio Nigeria at Ikoyi where he had made a broadcast to the nation. He was eventually arrested in the company of a prostitute in Eastern Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. Following a court martial, Lieutenant Colonel Dimka and another 38 military officers and civilians were executed by firing squad.
In a planned broadcast to the nation, Lieutenant Colonel Dimka had cited corruption, indecision, arrest and detention without trial, weakness on the part of the Head of State and maladministration in general as the reasons for overthrowing the government.
The former military head of state, General Yakubu Gowon
Yakubu Gowon
General Yakubu "Jack" Dan-Yumma Gowon was the head of state of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975. He took power after one military coup d'etat and was overthrown in another...
(who had been overthrown by General Mohammed in July 1975) was implicated in the abortive coup but escaped justice as he was living in exile in London. The British Government refused to extradite him. Years later he was given an official pardon by civilian president Shehu Shagari
Shehu Shagari
Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, Turakin Sakkwato served as the President of Nigeria's Second Republic , after the handover of power by General Olusegun Obasanjo's military government....
since there was insufficient evidence to convict him of involvement.
General Murtala Mohammed was succeeded by Lieutenant General Olusegun Obasanjo.
Buka Suka Dimka was publicly shot at the Bar Beach
Bar Beach
* Bar Beach, New York, a beach in Port Washington, NY, USA.* Bar Beach, New South Wales, a suburb of Newcastle, Australia.* A beach in Lagos, Nigeria....
in Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
.