Biography of Major Gideon Gwaza Orkar

Major Gideon Gwaza Orkar, born on October 4, 1952, and meeting his end on July 27, 1990, was a Nigerian military officer infamous for orchestrating a violent coup against General Ibrahim Babangida’s government on April 22, 1990. The coup unfolded with the seizure of the FRCN radio station, various military posts in Lagos, and the Dodan Barracks, Lagos, which housed the military headquarters and the presidential Villa. Despite General Babangida being present during the barracks attack, he managed to escape through a back route.

In his coup address, Orkar advocated for the excision of five northern states. However, the Babangida regime swiftly crushed the rebellion, leading to the trial and conviction of Orkar and 41 coconspirators on charges of treason. The grim consequence of their actions was execution.

Gideon Orkar, the ninth child of Levi Orkar Chi, hailed from the Tiv heritage in Apir village, Makurdi Local Government, Benue State. His educational journey included primary schools in Apir and Wadata, followed by attendance at Boys Secondary School, Gindiri, Plateau State. While pursuing Higher School Certificate classes, he responded to a military recruitment advertisement and joined the Nigerian Army in 1972 as cadet number 682. Commencing his officer cadet training with the 12th Regular Combatant Course at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in December 1974, later posted to the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps School in Ibadan.

Orkar contributed to peacekeeping efforts in Chad in 1978 and served in various units, such as the Reece at Kaduna, 82 Div in Enugu, and Armoured School in Bauchi. His professional development continued with attendance at the senior Officers Course 9 at the Command and Staff College, Jaji, in 1986. As a testament to his military career, he assumed the role of commander of Saki 22 Armoured Battalion in Oyo State, and his final posting before the April 1990 coup was as a member of the Directing Staff of the Command and Staff College, Jaji.

The culmination of Major Orkar’s life came with the failed coup attempt, resulting in his conviction and execution by firing squad on July 27, 1990, under the governance of General Ibrahim Babangida.