Major Donatus Okafor (died July 1966) was a Nigerian army officer, Commander of the Federal Guards Brigade, 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.

Early life

Okafor was born in Kaduna and was fluent in Hausa. His father reportedly had a business in Kano and his mother was a Tiv.

Career

Okafor joined the Nigerian Army as non commissioned officer (NCO) and received short service training at

Mons Officer Cadet School Mons Officer Cadet School was a British military training establishment for officer cadets in Aldershot from 1942 to 1972, when it was closed and all officer training concentrated at Sandhurst. Until 1960, it was known as the Mons Officer Cadet ...

Aldershot Aldershot () is a town in Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme northeast corner of the county, southwest of London. The area is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Alders ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

in 1959.

Participation in the January 15, 1966 coup

As Commander of the Federal Guards Brigade, a unit tasked with providing security to Nigeria's Prime Minister

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 ...

, Okafor was critical to the January 15, 1966 coup conspirators considering his intimate knowledge of the Prime Minister's routine. Okafor had a personal relationship with the Prime Minister and was considered a member of Balewa's household. On the night of January 15, 1966, Major Okafor led Federal Guard soldiers to Brigadier Zakariya Maimalari's residence at Thompson Avenue in Ikoyi. The group was unsuccessful and Maimalari escaped waving down another coup conspirator,

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 ...

, who unbeknown to Maimalari was in on the conspiracy and was Maimalari's Brigade Major. Emmanuel Ifeajuna and 2nd Lt. Ezedigbo gunned down Maimalari. Author

Max Siollun Max Siollun is a Nigerian historian who specializes on Nigerian history with a particular focus on the Nigerian military and how it has affected Nigeria's socio-political trajectory from the pre-colonial era to the present. Siollun was educated i ...

, notes that PM Balewa would have witnessed Maimalari's murder because he had been abducted by Ifeajuna earlier on in the evening. Okafor was detained in Abeokuta prison by General

Aguiyi-Ironsi Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi (3 March 1924 – 29 July 1966) was the first military head of state of Nigeria. He seized power during the ensuing chaos after the 15 January 1966 military coup, which decapitated the country's leadersh ...

for his role in the January 15, 1966 coup.

Death

Soldiers of northern origin who mutinied during July Counter Coup broke into Abeokuta prison where Okafor was detained. He was tortured and according to some accounts was buried alive by his attackers.

References

{{Reflist Igbo Army personnel Graduates of the Mons Officer Cadet School Nigerian Army officers Participants of coups in Nigeria Participants in the January 1966 Nigerian military coup