Shocking Story Of How Nzeogwu Killed Ahmadu Bello And His Wife, Hafusatu, During The 1966 Coup
The bloody coup on January 15, 1966, which toppled the democratic government of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, led to the deaths of key political figures including Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa himself, Chief Festus Okotie- Eboh (the Finance Minister), Chief Ladoke Akintola (Premier of the Western Region), Sir Ahmadu Bello (Premier of the Northern Region and Sardauna of Sokoto), and his first wife, Hafsatu Ahmadu Bello.
Ahmadu Bello’ s first wife, Goggon Kurya Hafsatu bint Abdulkadir Maccido, was the daughter of the Waziri of Sokoto and had married Ahmadu Bello in 1932. Gidado Idris, who later became the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), was at that time the personal secretary to the late Ahmadu Bello. Idris recounted his experience during the coup in an interview with Weekly Trust on his 80th birthday in 2015, detailing the harrowing events of that fateful night.
The Eve Of The Tragedy
On the evening of January 14, 1966, Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa called to speak with the late Premier Ahmadu Bello. Following this conversation, the Premier inquired about his debts to various shops. The next day, after discussing his new office with Idris and his ADC Aliyu Kangiwa, he awaited the arrival of Samuel Akintola, the Premier of the West.
Upon Akintola’ s arrival, accompanied by Remi Fani- Kayode and other ministers, he warned Ahmadu Bello about the impending coup. Despite Akintola’ s plea to flee with him to Niger, Bello resolutely decided to stay, stating that those asking for the government’ s removal did not bring it to power and he would not abandon his people in their hour of need. Akintola returned to Ibadan to prepare his people for the impending crisis.
A Routine Day Turns Fatal
Later that afternoon, Bello decided to drive around the GRA and Kaduna South before Iftar, the breaking of the Ramadan fast. The drive was uneventful, and they returned home in time for Iftar. That evening, the famous musician Dan Kwairo entertained the Premier, and despite their fatigue, the staff stayed until Kwairo finished around 11: 30 pm.
Shortly after, three prominent figures– Alhaji Ali Akilu, Commissioner of Police M. D. Yusuf, and Brigadier- General Samuel Ademulegun– arrived to see the Premier. After a brief meeting, the Premier went upstairs to work on his Sallah address.
The Coup Unfolds
Unbeknownst to them, soldiers had taken positions around the compound. As Idris left the Premier’ s house, he noticed the deputy Commissioner of Police and the Premier’ s security detail heading towards the house, but he did not suspect any trouble.
Inside, Abubakar Umar, the Sardauna’ s Private Secretary, heard the commotion and saw soldiers surrounding the house. He quickly alerted Ali Akilu, who managed to escape just before soldiers stormed his house. Meanwhile, Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu and his men gathered everyone in the house, demanding to know who Ahmadu Bello was. When no one identified him, Nzeogwu threatened to shoot everyone. Ahmadu Bello stepped forward, declaring himself, and his three wives came to his side. Despite the pleas, Nzeogwu shot Ahmadu Bello and his first wife, Hafsatu, as they embraced.
Aftermath And Legacy
The compound was deserted by the time the situation settled. The remaining staff decided to move Ahmadu Bello’ s body to the house of the Sultan of Sokoto in Ungwan Sarki, where he was prepared for burial.
Gidado Idris went on to have a distinguished career, serving as a permanent secretary in Kaduna state from 1971 to 1975, and holding various significant positions, including SGF from October 17, 1995, until May 28, 1999, when Nigeria returned to civil rule. He passed away in December 2017, leaving behind a legacy intertwined with the nation’ s tumultuous history.
The coup of January 15, 1966, remains a dark chapter in Nigeria’ s history, marked by the loss of prominent leaders and the beginning of a series of military interventions that would shape the country’ s political landscape for years to come.
