Christian Anuforo (1938 – August 1966) was a

Nigerian Army The Nigerian Army (NA) is the land force of the Nigerian Armed Forces. It is governed by the Nigerian Army Council (NAC). The Chief of Army Staff is the highest ranking military officer of the Nigerian Army. History Formation The Nigerian ...

major and one of the principal plotters of the January 15, 1966 coup, an event that derailed Nigeria's nascent democracy and introduced military rule to Nigeria.

Education

Anuforo attended Saint John's College in Kaduna, where he became close friends with

Kaduna Nzeogwu Patrick Chukwuma "Kaduna" Nzeogwu (26 February 1937 – 29 July 1967) was a Nigerian military officer and revolutionary who played a leading role in the first military coup d'ètat of 15 January 1966, which overthrew the first Nigerian republ ...

. He received his commission in 1961 from the

Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS or RMA Sandhurst), commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is one of several military academies of the United Kingdom and is the British Army's initial officer training centre. It is located in the town of ...

Participation in the January 15, 1966 coup

While serving as the Staff Officer at Army Headquarters, Anuforo along with other Majors (

Emmanuel Ifeajuna Emmanuel Arinze Ifeajuna (1935 – 25 September 1967) was a Nigerian army major and high jumper. He was the first Black African to win a gold medal at an international sports event when he won at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Game ...

Adewale Ademoyega Adewale Ademoyega (died February 21, 2007) was one of the five revolutionary Nigerian Army Majors who led the 1966 coup that ended the first democratic Nigerian government. Early life and education Adewale was born in Ode Remo in present-day O ...

, Don Okafor,

Humphrey Chukwuka Humphrey Chukwuka is a retired Nigerian Army Major, former Biafran Army Colonel, and one of the principal plotters of the January 15, 1966 coup, an event that derailed Nigeria's nascent democracy and introduced military rule to Nigeria. Career Ch ...

, and

Timothy Onwuatuegwu Timothy Onwuatuegwu (? – 15 January 1970) was a Biafran Army Major and former Nigerian Army Major. He was a leading military figure in the Nigerian Civil War and a participant in the 1966 Nigerian coup d'etat. Education Onwuategwu received hi ...

plotted the overthrow of

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (December 1912 – 15 January 1966) was a Nigerian politician who served as the first and only Prime Minister of Nigeria upon independence. Early life Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was born in December 1912 in modern-day B ...

's government for what the conspirators perceived as the government's corrupt management of Nigeria. Anuforo was reportedly the most ruthless of the January 15 conspirators and according to the Nigerian Police Special Branch investigation of the coup, Anuforo executed Lt Colonels James Pam,

Arthur Unegbe Arthur Chinyelu Unegbe was a Nigerian military officer who was QuarterMaster-General, Army Headquarters, Lagos on January 15, 1966, the day of Nigeria's first coup. Unegbe enlisted in the army in 1955, attended Sandhurst and was commissioned a ye ...

, Colonel Kur Mohammed and Federal Minister of Finance

Festus Okotie-Eboh Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh (18 July 1912 – 15 January 1966) was a Nigerian politician and Minister of Finance during the administration of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. Okotie-Eboh was born to an Itsekiri Chief, Prince Okotie Eboh in Warri Division, ...

Death

In August 1966 some troops (of northern origin) from the 4th battalion at Ibadan, after attending a funeral in

Benin Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...

, learned that Anuforo and other

January 15 Events Pre-1600 * 69 – Otho seizes power in Rome, proclaiming himself Emperor of Rome, beginning a reign of only three months. * 1541 – King Francis I of France gives Jean-François Roberval a commission to settle the province of ...

conspirators were in the Benin prison. The 4th battalion troops then broke into Benin prison to exact revenge for what they perceived as an ethnic based January 15, 1966 coup that had many northern casualties. Anuforo and other soldiers in detention such as warrant officers James Ogbu and B. Okuge, Sergeants Chukwu, Ogbuhara, and Ndukife, were tortured and killed.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Anuforo, Chris Igbo Army personnel Nigerian Army officers Participants in the January 1966 Nigerian military coup Graduates of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst 1966 deaths 1938 births