How Orka’s soldiers said bye

By Emeka Obasi

Death is no doubt an inevitable end. We shall all go to meet our creator, someday. Some see death coming, many go without any signs. A few face death. September 13, 1990 is one day I will not forget in a hurry.

I had passed the previous night at Navy town ,Ojo-Lagos. That evening, I was on my way to Ilasamaja. At Alakija Bus stop, something caught my attention. There was this military convoy coming from the Mile Two axis. It got stuck in traffic. Then I noticed that they there was a Black Maria vehicle in the convoy.

From the Black Maria, I could see hands waving and voices singing; ‘odabo oo, odabo oo.’ Goodbye in Yoruba. There was a staff car on the convoy and I tried to figure out what was happening. Something told me that they were coup plotters on their way to Golgotha.

I rushed to Champion newspapers head office and briefed the News Editor, Raymond Okiti. I was sure I was giving him a world exclusive. Okiti, believed me and tried to push the story. It did not fly.

The following day, the Federal Government announced that the second batch of plotters following the coup led by Major Gideon Gwarzo Orkar had been executed.

Among those killed was Captain A. A. Monju who was spared by the first Military Tribunal headed by Maj. Gen Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu, GOC, One Division, Nigeria Army, Kaduna.

Non Commissioned Officers who were executed included Andrew Omah, Malachy Ayogu, Shehu Omeje, Ojo Adegboyega, Edem Bassey, Dickson Omenka, Obioma Esiwoko, Emmanuel Onojie, Olanrewaju Ogunsola, Thomas Argor, Iroabuchi Anyalewechi, Ebietan Pius and Lateef Ayoola.

Also killed were Peter Abuagi, Godwin Donko, Joseph Odey, Anthony Korie, Thomas Argor, Mathias Odey, Sunday Asuquo, Henruy Eguaoje, Magnus Ekechi, Celestine Ofuokwu and Roland Odogu.

According to sources, all were driven to an Army shooting range in Odogbo, Ogun State where they met their terrible death. The men were said to have been lined up according to the number of stakes prepared. And because it was dark, the military had to put the headlamps of the conveying trucks to good use.

Batch by batch, the condemned soldiers alighted, were tied and shot. What a painful way to go. As one batch filed out, the others watched the execution from the inside of the Black Maria. Some unconfirmed sources say the convoy was led by Col. John Mark Inienger.

That experience drew reminiscences of the July 29, 1966 coup when officers and men of the South East Region were abducted by soldiers from the Third Battalion ,Kaduna, driven to the Kaduna–Jos Road in the night and executed. Lorry headlamps provided light for the deadly deed.

Most of the soldiers that were executed at Odogbo were forced into the coup by the officers. And the manhunt was crazy. Some of them who lived in Ikeja Cantonment and were believed to have collected inducement were sold away by their trash cans where money was discovered.

Today, is exactly 27 years since Orkar[N3299] led young officers to rattle the government of President Ibrahim Babangida. A member of the Nigeria Defence Academy [NDA Course 12, 1972-1974, Cadet No.682]; he was number nine in a family of 12 children, eight boys and four girls. The Armoured officer hailed from Apir, Gwer Local Government Area of Benue State.

Lt. Col. Gabriel Anthony Nyiam, Army Engineer and member of NDA Course Nine, was the most senior officer involved in the exercise. Some of his course mates included Lt. Col. Usman Kakande Bello, Babangida’s Aide de Camp [ADC], Buba Marwa, Cletus Emein, Fidelis Makkah and Emmanuel Acholonu.

Acholonu was actually their senior having being at the Nigeria Military School [NMS], Zaria in 1966 with the likes of David Alechenu Mark, Tunde Ogbeha, Abdulkarim Adisa, Abdul One Mohammed, Mohammed Maina, Isaac Areola and Rufus Eyitayo who made up the NDA Course Three. The Civil War stunted Acholonu’s growth, just like it did Herbert Obi Eze and Paul Ndimele Omeruo.

The brains behind the Orkar coup came from NDA Course 14. Majors Gilbert [Gillie] Turi Omokiniovo Edoja and Cletus Omue Obahor [Oba of Hor], of Army Signals and Artillery respectively. NDA 14 produced two Service Chiefs: Luka Nyeh Yusuf and Ishaya Ikoh Ibrahim, five governors: Caleb Omoniyi Olubolade, Anthony Uzoma Obi, Bala Jibrin Yakubu, John Ben-Kalio and Yakubu Bako.

Some of them died in air crashes: Victor Kure, Murphy Bozegha, Nuhu Bamali[ Babangida’s ADC after U.K. Bello], Musa Lemu, Peter Haruna and James Amedu. Two were fingered in the 1995 coup against Gen. Sani Abacha: Okon Nyong and Samuel Oyewole and their course mates: Lonsdale Adeoye and Alex Ackumbur were members of the Tribunal that tried them.

Also part of the Orkar coup were Maj. Saliba Daddy Mukoro, holder of a doctorate degree; Captains Nimibibowei Harley Empere, Perebo Abeela Dakolo, Ben Ighedoise Oziegbe, Charles Idele and Victor Sowaribi Tolofari.

There were Lieutenants Nicholas Ekun Odey, Cyril Okwor Ozoalor, Emmanuel Okekumatlor, Henry Ogboru, Emmanuel Awokoya Akogun, Patrick Chidi Obasi, S.O.S. Echendu, Arthur Badenyintite Umukoro, Emmanuel Ale-Alade, E.J. Ejesuku, Alphonsus Akhere Okinaifor and N.E.O. Ajayi. Ovedje Great Ogboru was the lone civilian and alleged financier of it all.

Government set up a military tribunal headed by Nwachukwu and members tried to be as fair as military tradition could allow. Funny development. Nwachukwu had an Hausa mom and non Igbo wife. Abdusalam Abubakar was Babangida’s college mate and had wife trained in Law. Col. Ekpo Archibong [Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo’s ADC] is married to an Umuahia woman, Linus Okorogun’s NDA Five mate, Leo Ajiborisha was almost killed by the plotters, Abdul Mumini Aminu had a wife from the Sapele-Warri area, the home of some of those on trial and Bello Fadile, the Judge Advocate was Orka’s pal. Orkar’s wife was Yoruba, Nyam’s better half, Igbo.

The Nwachukwu Tribunal sentenced Orkar and 41 others to death. Government was not satisfied. The Yohanna Yah Kure Tribunal came and condemned Monju and those others who were shot at Odogbo to death.

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