History of Nigeria

1960: Nigeria gains independence and creates the First Republic. 1965: Igbo army officers stage coup assassinating the prime minister and several party leaders and military officers. Suspended constitution, banned political parties, and called for a unified government not dominated by the north. Failed to impose order, started a civil war. 1966: The Federal Military Government is established by military coup with General Yakubu Gowon as head. (Initially supported a return of power to civilian control) (1967-70: Nigerian Civil War, Biafra, the Eastern Igbo region, fails to win independence.) 1975: Gowon is overthrown by a coup. General Murtala Muhammed comes to power, taking steps to return to civilian rule. 1975: Muhammed is killed in a failed coup and General Olusengun Obasanjo comes to power. He restores civilian rule. 1979: New constitution establishes the Second Republic. 1983-93: Return to military rule by Muhammadu Buhari (1983-1985) and Ibrahim Babangida (1985-1993). 1993: Babangida holds elections for the Third Republic, but annuls the results. 1993: Babangida steps down, Sani Abacha seizes power in military coup. 1998: Abacha dies and is succeeded by Abdulsalam Abubakar as military head of government. 1999: Esablishment of the Fourth Republic, and end to military rule, and Obasanjo is elected president. (2007: Umaru YarAdua is elected in the first civilian transfer of power.) (2011: Goodluck Jonathan is elected president.)