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Nnamdi Kanu takes legal action over “Igbo coup” label, releases full list of 1966 coup plotters
DDM News

Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has directed his legal team to take firm action against anyone who refers to the 1966 coup as an “Igbo coup.”
This order was given during his regular meeting with his legal representatives, led by Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, at the Department of State Services (DSS) facility in Abuja.
Kanu vehemently described the coup as unnecessary and emphasized that only two Igbos were involved in the plot.
The leader of IPOB expressed frustration over the historical misrepresentation that has wrongly labeled the 1966 coup as an “Igbo coup.”
Kanu’s legal counsel, Ejimakor, took to X (formerly Twitter) to relay the message. Diaspora digital media (DDM) reported.
In his post, he stressed that the unjustified hatred towards the Igbo people is one of the main reasons Kanu continues to suffer detention without trial.
Ejimakor revealed that Kanu’s legal team has been instructed to challenge any individual or organization that continues to promote the erroneous labeling of the 1966 coup as an “Igbo coup.”
Ejimakor’s statement also included a detailed breakdown of the ethnic backgrounds of the coup plotters, which Kanu hopes will help correct this historical misunderstanding.
According to the list provided by Kanu’s legal team, the plotters of the 1966 coup and their ethnicities are as follows:
1. Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu — IGBO
2. Major Adewale Ademoyega — YORUBA
3. Major E. Ifeajuna — IGBO
4. Capt. G. Adeleke — YORUBA
5. Capt. Gibson Jalo — BALI
6. Capt. Swanton — MIDDLE BELT
7. Lt. Fola Oyewole — YORUBA
8. Lt. R. Egbiko — ESAN
9. Lt. T. Katsina — HAUSA/FULANI
10. Lt. O. Olafemiyan — YORUBA
11. Lt. Hope Eghagha — URHOBO
12. Lt. Dag Warribor — IJAW
13. 2nd Lt. Saleh Dambo — HAUSA
14. 2nd Lt. John Atom Kpera — TIV
The list clearly indicates that out of the 14 individuals who participated in the coup, only two were of Igbo origin, yet the label of “Igbo coup” has been widely propagated.
Kanu’s legal team voiced concern over how this misrepresentation has been used to fuel ethnic-based animosity, with some labeling the coup an “Igbo coup” despite the fact that many ethnic groups were involved.
The plotters of the 1966 coup were a mixture of individuals from different ethnic backgrounds across Nigeria.
Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu and Major E. Ifeajuna, both of Igbo descent, played central roles in the coup.
Nzeogwu, a charismatic military officer, was the mastermind behind the coup.
The coup was primarily a military uprising aimed at overthrowing the government of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
However, it is widely known that Nzeogwu and Ifeajuna did not represent the Igbo people as a whole in the rebellion.
Their actions were personal and strategic, with no collective mandate from the Igbo people or their leaders.
The other coup plotters included Major Adewale Ademoyega and Captains G. Adeleke and Fola Oyewole, who were of Yoruba descent, and Captains Gibson Jalo and Saleh Dambo from the Middle Belt and Hausa ethnic groups, respectively.
Furthermore, Lt. T. Katsina, a member of the Hausa/Fulani ethnic group, and other officers from diverse Nigerian backgrounds such as the Urhobo, Ijaw, Esan, and Tiv ethnic groups, were also involved in the conspiracy.
This ethnic diversity challenges the claim that the coup was an “Igbo coup,” highlighting how the true motives of the coup plotters transcended ethnic boundaries.
Kanu’s strong position on the issue stems from the belief that the unjust labeling of the 1966 coup as an “Igbo coup” is a form of historical revisionism that has been used to demonize the Igbo people.
He argues that this misrepresentation has perpetuated unwarranted ethnic hostility, which, in turn, has had long-lasting consequences for the Igbo community.
Kanu further contends that such hatred is at the heart of why he remains incarcerated, with the judiciary using the term “Igbo coup” to justify his continued detention.
In conclusion, Nnamdi Kanu’s call to take legal action against anyone who perpetuates the false narrative of the “Igbo coup” reflects his desire to correct the historical inaccuracies surrounding the 1966 coup.
By providing the full list of the coup plotters and their ethnicities, Kanu aims to set the record straight and to prevent the continued use of ethnic scapegoating, which he believes has played a key role in his persecution.
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