The former head of Nigeria's Military Government and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, Major General Aguiyi Ironsi, was assassinated in the military coup of 29 July 1966(which was known as the counter coup of 1966)
How the assassination happened
On 29 July 1966 Aguiyi-Ironsi spent the night at the Government House in Ibadan, as part of a nationwide tour.In the early hours of the morning, the Government House, Ibadan, was surrounded by soldiers led by Theophilus Danjuma, who later arrested Aguiyi-Ironsi and questioned him about his alleged complicity in the coup, which saw the demise of the Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello.
The circumstances leading to Aguiyi-Ironsi death still remain a subject of much controversy in Nigeria. His body and that of Fajuyi were later discovered in a nearby forest.
The swagger stick with a stuffed crocodile mascot carried by Aguiyi-Ironsi was called "Charlie". Legend had it that the crocodile mascot made him invulnerable and that it was used to dodge or deflect bullets when he was on mission in the Congo.
He was captured and interrogated by his junior officers. He refused to answer their questions because they were his Junior officers and he considered it disrespectful to be questioned by them. They led him into a bush and shot him dead after stripping him.
Despite the stories, the crocodile mascot probably had something to do with the the name "Aguiyi" as it translates to "crocodile" in Igbo.
He was accorded a state funeral with full military honours on January 20 1967 .
The ceremony took place in his home town, Umuahia-Ibeku , Eastern Nigeria. This picture shows Ironsi's parents, wife Mrs. Victoria Ironsi (in black, behind children)East Nigeria Military Governor Lt Col Ojukwu and other mourners at the graveside, with the coffin in the background
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