COUP ANNOUNCEMENT BY BRIGADIER DOGONYARO

 
I, Brigadier Joshua Nimyel Dogonyaro, of the Nigerian Army, hereby make the following declaration on behalf of my colleagues and members of the Nigerian Armed Forces.  

Fellow country men, the intervention of the military at the end of 1983 was welcomed by the nation with unprecedented enthusiasm.

Nigerians were unified in accepting the intervention and looked forward hopefully to progressive changes for the better.  Almost two years later, it has become clear that the fulfillment of expectations is not forthcoming.  Because this generation of Nigerians and indeed future generations have no other country but Nigeria, we could not stay passive and watch a small group of individuals misuse power to the detriment of our national aspirations and interest.

No nation can ever achieve meaningful strides in its development where there is an absence of cohesion in the hierarchy of government; where it has become clear that positive action by the policy makers is hindered because as a body it lacks a unity of purpose.

It is evident that the nation would be endangered withbe cause the risk of continuous misdirection.  We are presently confronted with that danger.

In such a situation, if action can be taken to arrest further damage, it should and must be taken.  This is precisely what we have done.

The Nigerian public has been made to believe that the
slow pace of action of the Federal Government headed
by Major-General Muhamadu Buhari was due to the
enormity of the problems left by the last civilian
administration.

Although it is true that a lot of problems were left
behind by the last civilian government, the real
reason, however, for the very slow pace of action is
due to lack of unanimity of purpose among the ruling
body; subsequently, the business of governance, has
gradually been subjected to ill-motivated power play
considerations.  The ruling body, the Supreme Military
Council, has, therefore, progressively been made
redundant by the actions of a select few members
charged with the day to day implementation of the
SMC's policies and decision.  The concept of
collective leadership has been substituted by stubborn
and ill-advised unilateral actions, thereby destroying
the principles upon which the government came to
power.  Any effort made to advise the leadership, met
with stubborn resistance and was viewed as a challenge
to authority or disloyalty.  Thus the scene was being
set for systematic elimination of what, was termed
oppositions.

All the energies of the rulership were directed at
this imaginary opposition rather than to effective
leadership.  The result of this misdirected effort is
now very evident in the country as a whole.

The government has started to drift.  The economy does
not seem to be getting any better as we witness daily
increased inflation.  The nation's meager resources
are once again being wasted on unproductive ventures.

Government has distanced itself from the people and
the yearnings and aspirations of the people as
constantly reflected in the media have been ignored.

This is because a few people have arrogated to
themselves the right to make the decisions for the
larger part of the ruling body.

All these events have shown that the present
composition of our country's leadership cannot,
therefore, justify its continued occupation of that
position.

Furthermore, the initial objectives and programmes of
action which were meant to have been implemented since
the ascension to power of the Buhari Administration in
January 1984 have been betrayed and discarded.

The present state of uncertainty and stagnation cannot
be permitted to degenerate into suppression and
retrogression.  We feel duty bound to use the
resources and means at our disposal to restore hope in
the minds of Nigerians and renew aspirations for a
better future.

We are no prophets of doom for our beloved country,
Nigeria.  We, therefore, count on everyone's
cooperation and assistance.  I appeal to you, fellow
countrymen, particularly my colleagues in arms to
refrain from any act that will lead to unnecessary
violence and blood shed among us.  Rest assured that
our action is in the interest of the nation and the
armed forces.

In order to enable a new order to be introduced, the
following bodies are dissolved forthwith pending
further announcements: (a) The Supreme Military
Council  (b) The Federal Executive Council  (c) The
National Council of States.

All seaports and airports are closed, all borders
remain closed.  Finally a dusk to dawn curfew is
hereby imposed in Lagos and all state capitals until
further notice.  All military commanders will ensure
effective maintenance of law and order.  Further
announcements will be made in due course.  God bless
Nigeria.