What events led to Nigeria’s first military coup in January 1966?

Nigeria’s first military coup in January 1966 was the culmination of long-standing regional and ethnic tensions that had plagued the nation since its independence in 1960.12

The country was deeply divided into three geographic regions, each dominated by a specific ethnic group: the Yoruba in the west, the Igbo in the east, and the Hausa-Fulani in the north. These divisions were exacerbated by economic imbalances, educational inequality, and intense ethnic conflict over political power.12

Key events leading to the coup included:
* Controversial Census: The 1962–63 census heightened regional suspicions regarding population counts and political representation.12
* Political Instability: The collapse of the Western regional government in 1962 and a boycott of the 1964 federal election brought the country to the brink of breakdown.12
* Fraudulent Elections: The situation reached a point of no return following the collapse of order in the west after the fraudulent election of October 1965.12

In January 1966, a group of largely Igbo junior army officers attempted to overthrow the federal government, resulting in the murders of Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and two regional premiers.123