Former Nigerian military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, has disclosed that he overthrew General Muhammadu Buhari as Head of State in 1985 due to his “holier-than-thou” leadership style and repressive policies.
Babangida, made the revelation in his newly released autobiography, A Journey in Service. In the book, he also accused Buhari of spying on his calls and monopolizing power alongside his deputy, Brigadier Tunde Idiagbon.
Reasons for the Coup
According to Babangida, who served as Chief of Army Staff under Buhari, tensions had been brewing within the military, and the regime’s approach to governance had alienated both the armed forces and civilians.
“The coup that brought Buhari into power in 1983 as a ‘rescue mission’ had derailed,” Babangida wrote. “By the beginning of 1985, the citizenry had become apprehensive about the future. The atmosphere was precarious and fraught with ominous signs of clear and present danger.”
He accused Buhari and Idiagbon of sidelining other military officers and ruling with excessive rigidity. “They carried themselves as saints and antagonized the civil populace against the military,” Babangida stated, adding that the Buhari regime’s repressive decrees and economic hardship had made a leadership change inevitable.
Economic Mismanagement and Public Discontent
Babangida also criticized Buhari’s economic policies, particularly the “queue culture,” where Nigerians were forced to line up for essential goods due to widespread scarcity. He argued that the government’s approach failed to address the underlying economic issues.
“Queues will disappear when you adequately supply the market,” he wrote. “Instead of solving the supply problem, the regime enforced discipline through draconian measures. The people were suffering, and military officers like myself who pointed out these failures were seen as enemies of the government.”
Military Concerns and Coup Justification
Beyond economic woes, Babangida warned that the military itself was at risk of division, which could have led to national instability.
“In state affairs, the armed forces, as the only remaining institution of national cohesion, were becoming torn into factions,” he explained. “If the military imploded, the nation would go with it.”
Babangida described the 1985 coup as a necessary intervention to restore public confidence and prevent further crisis. He maintained that while Buhari’s government had good intentions, its execution was deeply flawed, necessitating a leadership change.
The autobiography offers a rare glimpse into one of Nigeria’s most significant political transitions and sheds light on the inner workings of the military government that ruled the country during the 1980s.
