Jan 1966 Coup: Ironsi detained me over Balewa’s, Okotie-Eboh’s decomposing bodies — Ex-police chief

Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Babankowa, in his late ‘70s, was a police commissioner. In this interview, Babankowa recounts how he led an operation during the January 1966 coup to discover the bodies of the Prime Minister, Sir Tafawa Balewa, his Finance Minister, Chief Okotie Eboh, and other members of the federal cabinet who the coup makers had taken to the outskirts of Sango-Otta, then in Western Region but now in Ogun State, and shot dead. He also shares his thoughts on some national issues.
How has it been since more than 30 years back that you retired?
Quite interesting. I have seen a lot of things which I never thought could happen but are happening. Some of them come as a surprise and sometimes shocking. It is really amazing how things are going on in this country.
What role did you play during the 1966 coup and where were you at that time?
I am not a coupist and I didn’t play any role other than my normal police role. However I can tell you what happened. It was not only the night of the coup but it continued for about three days later when we discovered the bodies of the prime minister and some of his cabinet members. First of all, I was at Sango- Otta during the coup where I had been transferred. I was initially at Mubi. They called it Southern Province which is the present Adamawa State. It used to be called Gongola State. I was drafted to the Western Region during the Operation Wetie crisis. I was drafted from Mubi to Kaduna and then to take riot unit to Ibadan. On my arrival at Ibadan, my late commander, Peter Pam, told me that Akure, Ondo and Owo were burning and I was moved to Akre, then to Owo and then Arigidi, a border town between the West and the North. While I was there, Shomolu in Lagos was burning. I then deployed to Shomolu, and, suddenly, they said Agege to Abeokuta was burning as they were doing Oro (cult). Then I was later moved to Sango- Otta where I was on the fateful night of the coup.

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