Gideon Orkar
Encyclopedia
Major Gideon Gwaza Orkar was a Nigeria
n military officer and revolutionary who staged a coup against General Ibrahim Babangida
on April 22, 1990. Orkar's people seized the FRCN radio station, various military posts around Lagos
and the Dodan Barracks
, Lagos, the military headquarters and presidential residence. Babangida was there when the barracks were attacked, but managed to escape by a back route.
In his coup address, amongst other things he called for the consideration of an excision of five northern states. However, the coup was crushed by the Babangida regime and Orkar was executed for his role. He refused to attempt to escape even though he could easily have. He also joined the coup plot very late being conscripted into the plot only a few weeks before its execution.
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...
n military officer and revolutionary who staged a coup against General Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Babangida
General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida CFR DSS mni , popularly known as IBB, was a Nigerian Army officer and military ruler of Nigeria...
on April 22, 1990. Orkar's people seized the FRCN radio station, various military posts around 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...
and the Dodan Barracks
Dodan Barracks
Dodan Barracks is a military barracks occupying a large area located off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria. Dodan Barracks was the residence of the heads of state of various Military Governments in Nigeria, and also the Supreme Military Headquarters from 1966 until the move to Abuja in 1991.The...
, Lagos, the military headquarters and presidential residence. Babangida was there when the barracks were attacked, but managed to escape by a back route.
In his coup address, amongst other things he called for the consideration of an excision of five northern states. However, the coup was crushed by the Babangida regime and Orkar was executed for his role. He refused to attempt to escape even though he could easily have. He also joined the coup plot very late being conscripted into the plot only a few weeks before its execution.