Nigeria declares independence from Britain in October. Three years later, it becomes a republic. 1960
1966
In
January of 1966, a group of army officers, consisting mostly of the
Ibo peoples, and led by General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, overthrew the
central and regional governments, killed the prime minister, took control
of the government, and got rid of the federal system of government to
replace it with a central government with many Ibos as advisors. This
precipitated riots and many Ibos were killed in the process. In July
of the same year, a group of northern army officers revolted against
the government (beginning a long history of military coups), killed
General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, and appointed the army chief of staff,
General Yakubu Gowon as the head of the new military government.
In
1967, Gowon moved to split the existing 4 regions of Nigeria into 12
states. However, the military governor of the Eastern Region (Colonel
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu) refused to accept the division of the Eastern
Region, and declared the Eastern Region an independent republic called
Biafra. This led to a civil war between Biafra and the remainder of
Nigeria. The war started in June 1967, and continued until Biafra surrendered
on January 15, 1970 after over 1 million people had died.
1970s
1970
The
Biafra secessionists capitulate in January. Successive governments promise
elections but military rule continues. During the early 1970s major
reconstruction of the areas that were formerly part of Biafra undertaken.
1979
Nigeria
returns to civilian government rule in October, electing Sheu Shagari
as President of the Second Republic.
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1980s
1983
Shagari
regime is deposed in December, as a military coup ousts the democratically
elected government.
1985
A
second coup ushers in a regime headed by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (picture
to right). Babangida later promises new elections.
1990-97
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1993
Nigerians
go to the polls in June, elect Social Democratic Party candidate Moshood
Abiola as the new president of the country with 58 percent of the vote.
On the eve of election results, General Babangida annuls the election.
The United States suspends aid as a political crisis ensues. Eleven die
in riots protesting military rule.
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Moshood
Abiola
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Babangida steps down
in August and chooses interim government.
Gen. Sani Abacha seizes power in November.
1994
Nigerian
police arrest Abiola in June after he declares himself president of the
country. In July, a federal high court charges Abiola with treason for
declaring himself president.
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Sani
Abacha
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Wole
Soyinka, winner of 1986 Nobel Prize for literature, flees Nigeria in November
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The
50,000-member Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers declares
a strike as the government sends in soldiers to replace workers in July.
The strike increases the price of crude oil worldwide. Most of Nigeria's
oil workers return to their jobs in September.
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Ken
Saro-Wiwa
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1995
In
October, General Abacha vows he will step down in three years after reforms
are complete.
Nigeria's
military government hangs nine political activists in November, including
well-known playwright Ken Saro-Wiwa, who was accused of involvement in
the killings of four pro-government traditional chiefs in 1994.
Nigeria
is suspended from the Commonwealth, the 52-member organization grouping
Britain and its former colonies, after the hangings.
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1996
Kudirat
Abiola, the outspoken wife of detained Nigerian presidential claimant
Moshood Abiola, is shot and killed while being driven along a Lagos street
in June.
1997
Exiled
writer Wole Soyinka is charged in absentia with treason in March by the
country's military government.
1998
May
7: Nigeria announces that it has freed 142 prisoners on orders of General
Abacha.
June
8: Abacha dies at his villa in the Nigerian capital. He is quickly replaced
by a close ally, Maj. Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar.
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June
9: The Clinton administration offers improved ties with Nigeria's new
military government if it frees political prisoners and moves toward democratic
reform.
June
12: Hundreds of Nigerians hold scattered protests in Lagos to demand an
end to military rule. They are dispersed by troops and police.
July
3: Nigeria's new military government confirms that they intend to release
the country's political prisoners, including Moshood Abiola.
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Maj.
Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar
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July
7: Nigeria's imprisoned political leader, Moshood Abiola, dies of an apparent
heart attack as he talks with Nigerian officials and senior U.S. diplomats
about how to resolve the country's five-year-old political crisis.
July
20: In a major television address, Maj. Gen. Abubakar promises that free
elections will be held in early 1999 and a civilian sworn in as president
of Nigeria on May 29.
1999
January
20: Nigerian and international election monitors declared that local elections
in December and state elections Jan. 9 were fair. The country enters high
campaign season for the election of its first national civilian leadership
in 15 years.
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February 27: Nigerians vote for a civilian president in an election marred by claims of voter fraud and irregularities. Two days later, Nigeria's election commission confirms the winner: former military ruler Olusegun Obasanjo. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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