Supreme Military Council of Nigeria (1966–1979)


The Supreme Military Council was the body that ruled Nigeria after the 1966 coup d'état until it was dissolved following the 1979 parliamentary election and the Second Nigerian Republic. The Supreme Military Council was located at the Supreme Military Headquartered in Lagos.
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 Nigerian Armed Forces. He was replaced by Murtala Muhammed and Olusegun Obasanjo in successive coups.
Following the 1983 coup d'état, Muhammadu Buhari created another Supreme Military Council that lasted until the 1985 coup d'état.

Members

NameTitle
Yakubu GowonHead of Federal Military Government
Murtala MohammedHead of State
Rear-Admiral Joseph Edet Akinwale WeyChief of Naval Staff, Chief of Staff of the Supreme Headquarters
Nelson Bossman SorohChief of Naval Staff
Michael Ayinde AdelanwaChief of Naval Staff
Brig. Hassan U. KatsinaMilitary Governor, Northern Region, Chief of Army Staff
Brig. Emmanuel EkpoChief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters
Joseph AkahanChief of Army Staff
Col. Illiya BisallaCommissioner of Defence
Olusegun ObasanjoChief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Head of State
Theophilus DanjumaChief of Army Staff
Ipoola Alani AkinrinadeChief of Army Staff
George T. KuruboChief of the Air Staff
Col. Shittu AlaoChief of the Air Staff
Emmanuel E IkwueChief of the Air Staff
John Nmadu Yisa-DokoChief of the Air Staff
Alhaji Kam SalemInspector-General of the Police
Muhammadu Dikko YusufuInspector-General of the Police
David EjoorMilitary Governor of Mid-Western Region, Chief of Army Staff
C. Odumegwu OjukwuMilitary Governor of Eastern Region
Adekunle FajuyiMilitary Governor of Western Region

The Military Governors of the twelve states of the federation were ex-officio members of the committee.