Excerpts from an interview Col. Nyiam granted to Punch Newspaper sometime ago: Question: You once said soldiers could be recruited for a coup without their knowledge. How is that possible? Col Nyiam: Yes, there are many instances. You might want to verify this from Gen. Buhari, he was not the initiator of that coup that brought him in as Head of State, it was Gen. Ibrahim Bako and Babangida that initiated it. But because they wanted a credible figure as a face, he was brought in. He did not know the genesis of that coup. He was not quite aware of the original idea behind the coup and that was why when he decided to make a change, he was forced to step aside. So, if this could happen to a whole Gen. Buhari, who was supposedly the leader of a coup, it shows how many soldiers can be brought in that way. Question: Does that mean overthrowing Shagari’s government was IBB’s idea? Col Nyiam: It was the idea of late Gen. Bako and IBB. Buhari was only brought in because they needed a face with integrity. Question: Can you give other instances? Cook Nyiam: Gen. Yakubu Gowon was not part of the coup that brought him in. He was a decent man. Nigerians like to play what the Yoruba people call bojuboju; they bring a figure with integrity to cover up their real intention; the real intention of politicians in uniform who have found cheap party. Many elements of them are in our partisan politics today.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 12:29:11 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015