21/01/2016
Major Chukwuma Kaduna
Nzeogwu coup speech on
Saturday, January 15, 1966.
In the name of the Supreme
Council of the Revolution of the
Nigerian Armed Forces, I
declare martial law over the
Northern Provinces of Nigeria.
The Constitution is suspended
and the regional government
and elected assemblies are
hereby dissolved.
All political, cultural, tribal and
trade union activities, together
with all demonstrations and
unauthorised gatherings,
excluding religious worship, are
banned until further notice.
The aim of the Revolutionary
Council is to establish a strong
united and prosperous nation,
free from corruption and
internal strife. Our method of
achieving this is strictly military
but we have no doubt that
every Nigerian will give us
maximum cooperation by
assisting the regime and not
disturbing the peace during the
slight changes that are taking
place.
I am to assure all foreigners
living and working in this part of
Nigeria that their rights will
continue to be respected. All
treaty obligations previously
entered into with any foreign
nation will be respected and we
hope that such nations will
respect our country’s territorial
integrity and will avoid taking
sides with enemies of the
revolution and enemies of the
people.
My dear countrymen, you will
hear, and probably see a lot
being done by certain bodies
charged by the Supreme
Council with the duties of
national integration, supreme
justice, general security and
property recovery.
As an interim measure all
permanent secretaries,
corporation chairmen and
senior heads of departments
are allowed to make decisions
until the new organs are
functioning, so long as such
decisions are not contrary to
the aims and wishes of the
Supreme Council.
No Minister or Parliamentary
Secretary possesses
administrative or other forms of
control over any Ministry, even
if they are not considered too
dangerous to be arrested.
This is not a time for long
speech-making and so let me
acquaint you with ten
proclamations in the
Extraordinary Orders of the Day
which the Supreme Council has
promulgated.
These will be modified as the
situation improves.
You are hereby warned that
looting, arson, homosexuality,
r**e, embezzlement, bribery or
corruption, obstruction of the
revolution, sabotage,
subversion, false alarms and
assistance to foreign invaders,
are all offences punishable by
death sentence.
Demonstrations and
unauthorised assembly, non-
cooperation with revolutionary
troops are punishable in grave
manner up to death. Refusal or
neglect to perform normal
duties or any task that may of
necessity be ordered by local
military commanders in support
of the change will be punishable
by a sentence imposed by the
local military commander.
Spying, harmful or injurious
publications, and broadcasts of
troop movements or actions,
will be punished by any suitable
sentence deemed fit by the
local military commander.
Shouting of slogans, loitering
and rowdy behaviour will be
rectified by any sentence of
incarceration, or any more
severe punishment deemed fit
by the local military
commander.
Doubtful loyalty will be
penalised by imprisonment or
any more severe sentence.
Illegal possession or carrying of
fi****ms, smuggling or trying to
escape with documents,
valuables, including money or
other assets vital to the running
of any establishment will be
punished by death sentence.
Wavering or sitting on the fence
and failing to declare open
loyalty with the revolution will
be regarded as an act of
hostility punishable by any
sentence deemed suitable by
the local military commander.
Tearing down an order of the
day or proclamation or other
authorised notices will be
penalised by death.
This is the end of the
Extraordinary Order of the Day
which you will soon begin to see
displayed in public. My dear
countrymen, no citizen should
have anything to fear, so long
as that citizen is law abiding and
if that citizen has religiously
obeyed the native laws of the
country and those set down in
every heart and conscience
since 1st October, 1960.
Our enemies are the political
profiteers, the swindlers, the
men in high and low places that
seek bribes and demand 10
percent; those that seek to keep
the country divided
permanently so that they can
remain in office as ministers or
VIPs at least, the tribalists, the
nepotists, those that make the
country look big for nothing
before international circles,
those that have corrupted our
society and put the Nigerian
political calendar back by their
words and deeds.
Like good soldiers we are not
promising anything miraculous
or spectacular. But what we do
promise every law abiding
citizen is freedom from fear and
all forms of oppression,
freedom from general
inefficiency and freedom to live
and strive in every field of
human endeavour, both
nationally and internationally.
We promise that you will no
more be ashamed to say that
you are a Nigerian.
I leave you with a message of
good wishes and ask for your
support at all times, so that our
land, watered by the Niger and
Benue, between the sandy
wastes and gulf of guinea,
washed in salt by the mighty
Atlantic, shall not detract
Nigeria from gaining sway in
any great aspect of international
endeavour. My dear
countrymen, this is the end of
this speech.
I wish you all good luck and I
hope you will cooperate to the
fullest in this job which we have
set for ourselves of establishing
a prosperous nation and
achieving solidarity.
