Independence Day: 1966 Coup Nigeria’s Worst Tragedy – Joe Abah
Governance expert and lawyer, Joe Abah, has described the 1966 military coup as Nigeria’s greatest national tragedy.
Speaking at The Platform Nigeria, an Independence Day programme hosted by Covenant Nation Church in Lagos, Abah said the coup dismantled the country’s promising trajectory under the 1963 Republican Constitution, which, according to him, provided a stronger framework for governance and economic development.
He noted that the coup not only disrupted Nigeria’s democratic process but also ushered in nearly three decades of military rule, stunting political stability and national growth.
“The 1966 coup remains the greatest tragedy that ever befell our nation,” Abah said, stressing that rebuilding Nigeria must begin with learning from that historic misstep.
“The Federal Government and the regions in Nigeria then had concurrent responsibilities for many things, including arms and ammunition.
“Each region was responsible for internal security and policing. Unlike today, when we have a unitary police force, each region had its own police. They could conduct censuses truthfully because it was not tied to revenue sharing,” he
