The Supreme Military Council was the body that ruled Nigeria after the coup d'état in 1966 until it was dissolved following the Nigerian parliamentary election, 1979 and the Second Nigerian Republic.
According to a Constitutional Decree, published in Lagos on 17 March 1967, legislative and executive power was vested in the Supreme Military Council. The Chairman of the Council was the head of the Military Government.
The Supreme Military Council consisted of the Regional Military Governors and the Military Administrator of the Federal Territory, the Heads of the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and the Inspector-General of Police or his Deputy.
The Supreme Military Council could delegate powers to a Federal Executive council, predominantly composed of civilian Commissioners.
The initial President of the Supreme Military Council was Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. He was replaced by Murtala Mohammed (in 1975) and Olusegun Obasanjo (in 1976) in successive coups.
Following the 1983 Nigerian coup d'état, Muhammadu Buhari created another Supreme Military Council that lasted until 1985.
Members[]
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| 1966-1975 | |
| Yakubu Gowon | Head of Federal Military Government (1966-1975) |
| Rear-Admiral Joseph Edet Akinwale Wey | Chief of Naval Staff (1964 –1973), Chief of Staff of the Supreme Headquarters (1973–75) |
| Brig. Hassan U. Katsina | Military Governor, Northern Region (1966–67), Chief of Army Staff (1968–71) |
| Joseph Akahan | Chief of Army Staff (1967–68) |
| George T. Kurubo | Chief of the Air Staff (1966–67) |
| Col. Shittu Alao | Chief of the Air Staff (1967–69) |
| Alhaji Kam Salem | Inspector-General of the Police (1966-1975) |
| David Ejoor | Military Governor of Mid-Western Region (1966-1971), Chief of Army Staff (1971-1975) |
| Emmanuel E Ikwue | Chief of the Air Staff (1969–1975) |
| C. Odumegwu Ojukwu | Military Governor of Eastern Region |
| Adekunle Fajuyi | Military Governor of Western Region |
| 1975-1979 | |
| Murtala Mohammed | Head of State (1975–76) |
| Nelson Bossman Soroh | Chief of Naval Staff (1973–1975) |
| Michael Ayinde Adelanwa | Chief of Naval Staff (1975–1980) |
| Brig. Emmanuel Ekpo | Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters |
| Col. Illiya Bisalla | Commissioner of Defence (1975–76) |
| Olusegun Obasanjo | Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters (1975-1976), Head of State (1976-79) |
| Theophilus Danjuma | Chief of Army Staff (1975–79) |
| Ipoola Alani Akinrinade | Chief of Army Staff (1979-1980) |
| John Nmadu Yisa-Doko | Chief of the Air Staff (1975–1980) |
| Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu | Inspector-General of the Police (1975-1979) |
The Military Governors of the twelve states of the federation were ex-officio members of the committee.
Sources[]
- The Europa World Year Book 1970
The original article can be found at Supreme Military Council of Nigeria (1966–1979) and the edit history here.