Major Gideon Orkar: The Man Who Almost Shook Nigeria

Major Gideon Orkar: The Man Who Almost Shook Nigeria

Major Gideon Orkar: The Man Who Almost Shook Nigeria

On April 22, 1990, a group of soldiers led by Major Gideon Gwaza Orkar, a Tiv officer from Benue State, dared to challenge the power of General Ibrahim Babangida.

With precision and boldness, they seized key military posts and took over the Federal Radio station in Lagos, broadcasting their message to the nation.

In a shocking proclamation, Orkar called for the excision of five northern states, a statement that sent shockwaves across Nigeria.
His coup, fueled by grievances over leadership and perceived marginalization, was as daring as it was controversial.

But Babangida escaped, and the coup collapsed within hours.
Orkar and his co-conspirators were captured, tried for treason, and executed on July 27, 1990.

Major Orkar’s story is a stark reminder of the fragile line between ambition and tragedy, and the dangerous interplay of power, ethnicity, and politics in Nigeria’s military history.
His name still resonates in debates about justice, unity, and the cost of defiance.