Gideon Orkar

Major Gideon Gwaza Orkar (October 4, 1952 – July 27, 1990) was a Nigerian military officer who staged an attempted violent coup against the government of General Ibrahim Babangida on April 22, 1990. Orkar and his conspirators seized the FRCN radio station, various military posts around Lagos and the Dodan Barracks, Lagos, the military headquarters and presidential Villa. Babangida was present when the barracks were attacked but managed to escape by a back route.[1]

In his coup address, Orkar called for the excision of five northern states.[2] However, the coup was crushed by the Babangida regime and Orkar including 41 other coconspirators were tried, convicted of treason and were executed.

  1. ^ Nowa Omoigui, MD. "The Orkar Coup of April 22, 1990". Segun Toyin Dawodu. Retrieved 2009-11-21.
  2. ^ "April 1990 Coup D'etat Speech". April 1990 Coup Speech DAWODU.COM Dedicated to Nigeria's History, Socio-Economic and Political issues. Retrieved 13 July 2015.