The coup began as a mutiny at roughly midnight of 28 July 1966[5] and was a reaction to the killings of Northern politicians and officers by some soldiers on 15 January 1966 (see 1966 Nigerian coup d'état).

The coup resulted in the murder of Nigeria's first military Head of State General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi and Lt Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi (who was hosting a visiting Aguiyi-Ironsi) in Ibadan by disgruntled northern non-commissioned officers (NCOs).

Colonel Yakubu Gowon was appointed Head of State by the coup conspirators.

According to historian Max Siollun northern soldiers had a list of grievances[7] following the aborted 15 January 1966, coup which led to the planning of the counter-coup.

A list of their grievances were: The principal coup plotters were:[8] This article about government in Nigeria is a stub.