Lt. General Jeremiah Useni needs no introduction. The prominent role he played during the reign of late Head of State, Sani Abacha, as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, is well known. However, there are two things about Jeremiah Useni, who was referred to as ‘Jerry Boy’ at the time. He was indeed a Boy, because he joined the Army at the age of 14. Firstly, he was one of the soldiers who fired shots during the coup against General Ironsi in which the General was killed in Ibadan. Mr. Useni was also the closest person to General Abacha up to his last moments.
This interview, conducted in Hausa by the Hausa language newspaper, Rariya, and translated to English by PREMIUM TIMES’ Sani Tukur, reveals a lot of things many of us didn’t know, including the conspiracies that denied him the opportunity of succeeding Mr. Abacha after he died. Enjoy…
——————————————————
You joined the Army as a fourteen year old, and you were posted to England for a Course at sixteen, how did you feel at the time?
Honestly, it was like a dream to me because I broke my left leg during a game of football, just one year after I joined the Army. As a young footballer, I had very strong shooting ability with my left leg. Anyone who was unfortunate to be hit with my shots really suffered no matter their size. I spent about four months at the hospital In Kaduna. Most of the hospital staffs at the time were Europeans, and they were very efficient. They joked a lot with their patients and they related with you as if you had known them for ages. One day, they decided to come and test all of us and see those who had made progress, so that they would be discharged. When they came to me, they asked; ‘can you stand up?’ And I said, ‘yes’. Then I was asked to stand up and walk. The whiteman said, ‘this one is ok now, he can be discharged’.
Later, they said there would be exams to select those who would go to England, and I had spent four years without studies or anything. However, there was a senior officer who was teaching me, and I went to write the exams, and I passed. I was not even sure we were really going to Europe until one day when they came to the dining room and called out our names, five of us; they asked us to go to a particular building, that our attention was needed there. On getting there, we saw that they had prepared omelet and other kinds of delicacies of the Europeans. At the time, we were used to eating Garri only, we either soak or prepare Eba with one green soup like that. We realised that we might really be going to Europe. That was how I went as a very young boy, and I thank God for that because before we left Nigeria, they were paying us one naira, in fact, we were first paid seventy kobo, until after one year, when they increased it to one naira.
When I went to England, under the Boys Company battalion, they started paying us four pounds after only two months. I wrote to my father to tell him that we were now receiving four pounds as pay, and I asked him to pay any tax he was asked to pay because I was also enjoying. I told him that just to show him how happy I was.
Many people were afraid of joining the Army at the time you joined. Were your parents alive at the time?
They were alive. It was my father’s friends that did not want me to join. My father was a Royal Guard, and you know a royal guard does not fear anything. He was the most influential official next to the emir, who knows any judge at time? We didn’t even see a policeman until we went to Jos. My father’s friends were advising him not to risk his only son, because I was an only child, but he said since that was what I wanted, I should go ahead, he told them that only God would decide if I live or die.
You had some time with the Sardauna and his Ministers, such as Michael Audu Buba?
We just hear them speak on the radio, or read about them in Newspapers, but I saw Sardauna a lot when I was in Boys Company. He used to visit us, because there was a sugar cane farm, where we used to train, and after such trainings, most of us do get some sugar cane in the farm. Sardauna used to come there and we saw him a lot. I first saw him in 1957.
After your return from England, Sardauna , Tafawa Balewa and others were killed in 1966. Where were you at the time?
I was with 4th Battalion Ibadan. The coup came to us as a surprise, like a thief in the night. We just heard in the morning that Sardauna and the rest were killed. In fact, we did not get the news on time. Where was our C.O Lt. Col. Largema? And Brig. Maimalari and Col Kur Mohammed? We learnt they were all killed. And we asked, what type of coup was that? At the time, we were not concerned with where you came from or what your religion was. As long as you were from the north, we cherish each other so much.
So we organised ourselves and agreed that what happened was very dangerous. We also learnt later that a broad government was being formed. A northerner will be transferred to the South, while a Southerner will be transferred to the north. General Hassan katsina was the governor of the north at the time. People like Kashim Ibrahim were also gone. So those of us, Army officers from the north were very angry really.
What was your rank at the time?
I was a Second Lieutenant then, my mates were Ibrahim Babangida, Garba Duba, Mamman Magoro, and the rest. I was together with Yelwa in 4th Battalion, while Duba was in Kaduna. There was another officer from Niger state, I have forgotten his name, and he was even a Senator recently. We realised that Igbos were behind all the killings, and were angered the more because they were not even arrested. Although, they were later arrested and taken to jail, but information came to us that they were just enjoying themselves there. Even their ranks were returned to them and they were wearing their uniforms inside the jail.
We started meeting to find a way out. Our Brigade Commander, Maimalari was killed, Col. Pam, Tafawa Balewa and the rest were all killed. We continued to meet in secret and strategising on how to take revenge.
But while that was going on, words started going round about what the Igbo officers were saying: that they had killed the snake, but had failed to cut off the head. Which meant those of us left might make them suffer later, that there was therefore the need to finish us off. Instead of them to show remorse and apologise, they were planning another sinister attacks. We were together with Col. Remawa at the time, he was serving in Abeokuta, and we heard of a grand plot to kill our emirs. A meeting of all emirs was called in Ibadan, all our emirs gathered in Ibadan, that the head of state, Ironsi, would address them. So we said, are we going to let him come, address them and leave? Or should we just kill him or what? Our fear was that he was in the company of our emirs, and you know bullets do not select whom to hit. What do we do? We don’t want even a single emir to die.
We also considered arresting him at his lodge before he goes to meet with them. Col. Adekunle Fajuyi was the governor of South West at the time, and the head of state, Ironsi, was staying in his house in Ibadan. So we don’t want a situation where they would say he conspired with us. So we decided the best thing to do was to open fire there even if Governor Fajuyi was also caught, so that they would just be buried together, and that was what happened.
Before that time, a party was organised for officers, they brought all sort of drinks for us there. In fact, since joining the Army, I had never seen so many assorted drinks like the one they brought for us that day. The plan was to get us all drunk, so that they would just come and open fire on us and kill us all. That was what they planned for us at the 4th Battalion Ibadan because we were the most feared, because we were the ones who lost a brigade Commander, Lagerma. When Murtala returned from Lagos empty handed, everyone was just crying because Lagerma was a very nice man. After the Coup, Gowon was made the Head of state.
When Ironsi was arrested, T.Y. Danjuma was said to be in Ibadan, and there were reports that you, Duba and Remawa were the ones who arrested him?
It was Garba Dada, the guy from Niger state, the one I was telling you was a Senator recently. He was the Adjutant General at the time, and he was our co-ordinator. We did not stay in one place to meet. We used to drive up to beyond Ijebu-Ode meeting inside the car and then turn back.
Was Domkat Bali also in Ibadan at the time?
No. He was at Abeokuta. In fact they were the ones who started shooting before us. We said, if we just kept quiet, they would have arrested our Boys there.
Why was Gowon selected after the coup?
He was the most senior officer at the time. But there was another reason too. There were people like T.Y. Danjuma and Murtala. But Murtala was a bit less than Gowon in rank, and was too close to us.
After Ironsi was killed, the country was plunged into a civil war. You were heading the logistics and in charge of most war equipment. What were the challenges you faced during the war?
At times, it is good to be in the forefront in battle, instead of nominating someone. Facing the enemy is a difficult task that requires effective strategy. You need to put in place how to effectively block the supply of enough ammunitions and back up to them. If you do that, it will not be difficult to finish them off. That is the role I played, I ensured that our troops get enough ammunitions and logistic support all the time.
We started with General Danjuma, he was the C.O. and then Mamman Shuwa, who was later transferred to Kaduna as the GOC. So also was Martins Adamu. Adamu was leading Ogoja troop, Danjuma was in Nsukka, and I was in Abakaliki.
What do you think were the reasons Gowon was removed?
People began to feel he was distancing himself from them. He was unreachable. The top officers of the time felt he was building a wall between them, and so they felt there was need for change. But he was not killed, they waited until he was out of the country to Kampala, Uganda before they toppled him, and asked him not to return. Murtala was then made his successor.
How was your relationship with Murtala?
He was a gentleman. I could remember when it happened, we just returned to Jos with my troop. We moved all our military hardware on our vehicles and train and we even had to hire more vehicles. When we arrived Jos, we went round the town with our entourage up to the Government House just to show the people we have come, only to learn the following morning that Gowon had been toppled. I was a Major at the time.
When Murtala was killed, it was observed that most of the perpetrators were from Plateau, such as Dimka and Bisalla; how did you feel?
Honestly, I was really surprised. We were honest and cordial with each other, not knowing that some people had sinister motive. When we did our own, it was revenge against the Igbos, but people we don’t understand did this one. But we thank God that they were identified after investigations. It was Dimka and his people that were planning to return Gowon to power. But Bisalla, was saying ‘I am here, why should you go looking for someone outside’? This country is lucky to have people like General T.Y. Danjuma. When Obasanjo became the Head of State, he was supposed to be the second in command, but Danjuma said no, there was no need for Murtala to be killed, and an Obasanjo was made the head of State, with a T.Y. Danjuma second in command. Then Shehu Yar’adua was brought in when he was a Lieutenant Colonel but he was doubly promoted to a Brigadier General and made the second in command to Obasanjo. Yar’adua was a gentleman, and that decision was taken to promote peace in the land.
How did you meet Abacha, because you were the closest person to him?
All I can say is that it was God who crossed our path together. Firstly, I am a Tarok man, and he was not. He was a Muslim, and I am not. I was also much closed to Garba Duba. What happened was that even while we were young officers after the civil war, when a small town near Enugu was captured, then a message came that I was needed in Lagos. They told me I would be going to Europe. At the time, there was no daily flight to Lagos. So I took a Land Rover, and by 9am the following day, I was at the office. However, I was told I still had three weeks before I departed. So I went back to Enugu. We were all Lieutenants then and they said we should be changed because people in Kaduna were afraid. They said the 4th battalion should move to Kaduna, while the 3rd Battalion in Kaduna should move to Ibadan.
It so happened Abacha was the officer responsible for the movements of the Battalion from Kaduna to Ibadan, and I was in charge of those moving from Ibadan to Kaduna. They were the first to arrive, so I went to receive them at the train station and show them were to eat and sleep. But Abacha waited at the train station so that any train that brought soldiers from Kaduna, he would make sure soldiers from Ibadan followed the train back to Kaduna. We continued to do that until all the soldiers were successfully ferried. We then joined the remaining vehicles back to Kaduna, and I left him at Ibadan. That was how we became friends. And we then went on to meet at 2nd Division Ibadan.
That was also where we met with Duba. He was at Asaba with his Armoured Division, and I was at the Headquarters at Benin. Abacha was at Tom Ikimi’s town. We went out together anytime we met, and we even used to sleep in the same house. Our friendship became so strong that every weekend we visited each other’s houses and spend the weekend together. We were going to the Houses on turn-by-turn basis, up until the time Duba left the Army because of an ailment that was disturbing him. He went to a hospital in Saudi Arabia three times before he said he was tired and would simply retire. The three of us were very much close. Nothing came in between us, and people were even calling us ‘triplets’. That is God you know. That is why I always tell people that fighting is not good. If there were tribal clashes, the three of us would not have been friends.
During the time of Abacha was Head of State, people were saying you were in fact the President, because Abacha was not even seen in public much, and he was not close to his deputy. Others were saying the coup allegations against Obasanjo and Yaradu’a was just fabricated to break them down. What is the truth of the matter?
I have been asked this question several times, and my answer always was that the coup attempt was real. Even if I don’t like you, would I just pick you up and lock you up? There was a coup attempt, and I said this even while Obasanjo was president. When General Diya was being tried, you saw how he was kneeling down to beg Major Al-Mustapha who was not in anywhere close to him in rank. Definitely there was a coup attempt, but because Abacha was a good man, he did not kill them. When Obasanjo was a military Head of state, there was a coup attempt, and he enacted a law that killed the perpetrators.
But he was not killed, he was only jailed for life, and they said when another government comes, they can decide to release him. He was in jail when Abacha died, politics returned and so there was selfishness and all sort of conspiracies. He knows he was the one who signed the law that said even if you did not participate in a coup, and that you only heard of it but decided to keep quiet, you are culpable, and you face the same penalty as those who planned to execute the coup. He made that law.
When Abdulsalam assumed leadership, there was a debate whether he should be released or not, but eventually they decided to release him.
People also said General Yar’adua had put pressure on your government, insisting at the constitutional conference that power must be transferred to a civilian authority, and he must have known about the coup because he had known about all the others in the past?
A. Well I cannot say anything about what I have no adequate knowledge about. Yar’adua and I were very close. He was my good friend.
When you were FCT Minister, you set up a committee of traditional rulers in which you were the chairman
The name of the committee was Traditional Rulers Forum and Leaders of Thought.
Why was it formed, and what was the achievement of that committee?
We met a lot of problems on the ground when we came to power, and I realised that they were relegated to the background, they were not revered and their advice were not heeded, but whenever there was any crises people rushed to them for solutions. So I set up that committee so that traditional rulers would know what was going on, and also know that they were highly valued by the government. There were actually two committees, one of traditional rulers and the other of leaders of thought. We did not claim to know everything, so our success came in the fact that the traditional rulers were telling us what was going on among the people, and what we needed to do for the people.
It is ideal to be discussing matters of national security with them, but it is never done until something happens before you see officials rushing to them in confusion. One day, Abacha informed governors to include them in their security meetings. When a crisis occurred in Kano, Abacha called the emir and asked him what was happening? The emir replied that they had discussed and there was no tension anymore, and the emir told him ‘had we not been involved you would have heard of violence all over’.


*We translated this interview from Hausa and republished with permission from Rariya newspaper
Read more @ link below:
http://amazingstoriesaroundtheworld..co.uk/2013/09/interview-why-we-killed-ironsi-and.html
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/145535-interview-killed-ironsi-installed-gowon-jeremiah-useni.html

Why let us know now.why not let sleeping dogs lie.

So you planned the death of Aguiyi?no problem!

This man is really bold to come out and say all these things he said. Did he think we would not get the English Transcript or not?

I never knew Fajuyi's death was collateral damage.

bishungclem: Why let us know now.why not let sleeping dogs lie.

Sorry we can't let sleeping dogs lie. This story no matter how distasteful has to be told.

drnoel:
Sorry we can't let sleeping dogs lie. This story no matter how distasteful has to be told.

wonder why people would want to hide our history.......let them speak...we learn from it......

It's always good for our history to be told, no matter how distasteful.
We are supposed to learn from this and avoid a repeat. Over the years, I have refused to blame the young revolutionary coupist, nor the counter-coup northern soldiers nor Ojukwu for the war.

Issues were not managed well between 1960-1966, and caused the death of millions of Nigerians.

However, the sad thing is that over 4 decades later, we have not learnt our lessons

This is for those who said fajuyi choose to die with his oga.

Col. Adekunle Fajuyi was the governor of South West at the time, and the head of state, Ironsi, was staying in his house in Ibadan. So we don’t want a situation where they would say he conspired with us. So we decided the best thing to do was to open fire there even if Governor Fajuyi was also caught, so that they would just be buried together, and that was what happened.Jerry boy.

Those misguided 5 majors rose to save the country in reaction to the NOISE (operation wetie, et al) from elements in the southwest. Because the coup/revolution was not successful, history has been turned on its head and the first military coup now termed "Igbo coup".

Can anyone tell the DIFFERENCE between the NOISE of those days and the NOISE of today from elements (Tinubu rats) from the SAME region? This time, when they get tired of making NOISE, they'll shut their dirty buccal cavities. Yeye dey smell!

Sincere 9gerian: Those misguided 5 majors rose to save the country in reaction to the NOISE (operation wetie, et al) from elements in the southwest. Because the coup/revolution was not successful, history has been turned on its head and the first military coup now termed "Igbo coup".

Can anyone tell the DIFFERENCE between the NOISE of those days and the NOISE of today from elements (Tinubu rats) from the SAME region? When they get tired of making NOISE, they'll shut their dirty buccal cavities. Yeye dey smell!

@Bigoted 9gerian

Besides the circumstances surrouding Fajuyi's death, I dont see any huge 'revelation' from this interview. He only failed to disguise his bitterness with Igbos - as most would - which very much captures the overall feeling of Northerners that experienced Nzeogwu's lame coup.

Atleast we've heard his own side of d story.

take dat: @Bigoted 9gerian

So you think the first military coup was "Igbo coup"?

I cannot shy away from saying the TRUTH.

Ojiofor: This is for those who said fajuyi choose to die with his oga.

Col. Adekunle Fajuyi was the governor of South West at the time, and the head of state, Ironsi, was staying in his house in Ibadan. So we don’t want a situation where they would say he conspired with us. So we decided the best thing to do was to open fire there even if Governor Fajuyi was also caught, so that they would just be buried together, and that was what happened.Jerry boy.

It doesn't change what we know about the people who set the stage for a disorganized country where everyone is suspicious of everyone's motives.

Sincere 9gerian: Those misguided 5 majors rose to save the country in reaction to the NOISE (operation wetie, et al) from elements in the southwest. Because the coup/revolution was not successful, history has been turned on its head and the first military coup now termed "Igbo coup".

Can anyone tell the DIFFERENCE between the NOISE of those days and the NOISE of today from elements (Tinubu rats) from the SAME region? When they get tired of making NOISE,

it is now obvious dat tinubu's existence with multiple success breaks your heart. Pele o!

Sincere 9gerian: Those misguided 5 majors rose to save the country in reaction to the NOISE (operation wetie, et al) from elements in the southwest. Because the coup/revolution was not successful, history has been turned on its head and the first military coup now termed "Igbo coup".

Can anyone tell the DIFFERENCE between the NOISE of those days and the NOISE of today from elements (Tinubu rats) from the SAME region? When they get tired of making NOISE, they'll shut their dirty buccal cavities. Yeye dey smell!

Why are you afraid of Ahmed Tinubu?

Sincere 9gerian: Those misguided 5 majors rose to save the country in reaction to the NOISE (operation wetie, et al) from elements in the southwest. Because the coup/revolution was not successful, history has been turned on its head and the first military coup now termed "Igbo coup".

Can anyone tell the DIFFERENCE between the NOISE of those days and the NOISE of today from elements (Tinubu rats) from the SAME region? When they get tired of making NOISE, they'll shut their dirty buccal cavities. Yeye dey smell!

I'm sure you sincerely believe you can murder the leaders of other tribes leaving your own free, and everyone will shake your hands and call you a hero.

wesley80: Besides the circumstances surrouding Fajuyi's death, I dont see any huge 'revelation' from this interview. He only failed to disguise his bitterness with Igbos - as most would - which very much captures the overall feeling of Northerners that experienced Nzeogwu's lame coup.

The problem with people like Jerry Useni is that while they will use every available occasion to tell the world how they struck and fought against Biafra and defeated Biafra , they never mention about anything about the burning issues in their homestead , the City of Jos has been invaded and wanton killings going on in Plateau, southern Kaduna, Benue, Nassarawa , Borno , Bauchi and these jokers keep moping aloof like ostriches while waiting for other people to strike back for them .
of All these loafers (Obasanjo, Danjuma, Gowon,Domkat Bali,Useni, Babangida)Useni seems to be the most stupid and useless of them , he was the most senior Military officer when Abacha died yet the Baton of power passed him and went to Abdulsalami and he could not do anything because of that only to come and brag how they killed Ironsi and took power from igbos . can someone call this Hypocrite to order.

Charity begins at home , save your plateau people first then you can come and brag how you defeated Biafran

kettykin:

The problem with people like Jerry Useni is that while they will use every available occasion to tell the world how they struck and fought against Biafra and defeated Biafra , they never mention about anything about the burning issues in their homestead , the City of Jos has been invaded and wanton killings going on in Plateau, southern Kaduna, Benue, Nassarawa , Borno , Bauchi and these jokers keep moping aloof like ostriches while waiting for other people to strike back for them .
of All these loafers (Obasanjo, Danjuma, Gowon,Domkat Bali,Useni, Babangida)Useni seems to be the most stupid and useless of them , he was the most senior Military officer when Abacha died yet the Baton of power passed him and went to Abdulsalami and he could not do anything because of that only to come and brag how they killed Ironsi and took power from igbos . can someone call this Hypocrite to order.

Charity begins at home , save your plateau people first then you can come and brag how you defeated Biafran

lol, could'nt help laughing at your description of the "Brave Coward". To think he was mocking the 'Crying General' - Diya - while soundind totally oblivious of his own shortcomings speaks volumes. I guess we are supposed to forget about the sidelined and hurriedly retired self - indulging Lt General and only remeber him as the brave man that helped Noretherners avenge the murder of their heroes! I guess that's what this interview was about, no wonder it was done in Hausa.

The early years of Nigeria account from Jerry Boy. When are we hearing from T.Y and co. they need to tell us the truth before they all die...It will shape this country in the nearest future.

No matter how bitter the truth is, it has to be told

Sincere 9gerian: Those misguided 5 majors rose to save the country in reaction to the NOISE (operation wetie, et al) from elements in the southwest. Because the coup/revolution was not successful, history has been turned on its head and the first military coup now termed "Igbo coup".

Can anyone tell the DIFFERENCE between the NOISE of those days and the NOISE of today from elements (Tinubu rats) from the SAME region? When they get tired of making NOISE, they'll shut their dirty buccal cavities. Yeye dey smell!

You didn't have to go so low, you just proved your stupidity

It's been long a read anything from Jerry Can(sorry boy). But after going through the interview, I was reminded of another General who has been quiet for a long while. The person is General Oladipo Diya.
Any update on this fine gentleman, Diya?

Sincere 9gerian:
So you think the first military coup was "Igbo coup"?

I cannot shy away from saying the TRUTH.

^^^

... Was never, real Igbos are aware of this truth.




.

Jeremiah Usani was one of the reasons the January 15, 1966 coup was precipitated. Anybody who knows anything about military must marvel at the instance where a 14 year old boy proceeded to MOMS, Aldershot after two years in the Boys Company School in Zaria. Jeremiah Usani was not the only unqualified northerners the Sarduna and Tafawa Balewa’s government commissioned into Nigerian army at the urging of British. The goons such as Jeremiah Usani were scared to the bones because the intention of January 15, 1966 boys was to weed Nigerian army of all unqualified stiffs such as Usani and Abacha.

The rantings of a tribal bigot...the real enemies of a collective Nigeria.

The pests that took over the fields now claiming ownership

This reading tastes sour

Gen Useni this is not the best time to spew such thrash.

Sincere 9gerian: Those misguided 5 majors rose to save the country in reaction to the NOISE (operation wetie, et al) from elements in the southwest. Because the coup/revolution was not successful, history has been turned on its head and the first military coup now termed "Igbo coup".

Can anyone tell the DIFFERENCE between the NOISE of those days and the NOISE of today from elements (Tinubu rats) from the SAME region? This time, when they get tired of making NOISE, they'll shut their dirty buccal cavities. Yeye dey smell!

you can say that again bro. if there is any lesson i believe the easterners have learnt, it is how to mind their business.

Why are people acting all surprised about this interview ? The facts about events leading up to the 1966 coup and the civil war have been documented in several books on both sides of the divide & Useni isnt saying anything far from what ive read previously. We as a nation only need to learn how to get our acts right if we really want to stay together as one peacefully even if we have to convene an SNC. Ps the Diya coup really took place, i dont know why some people are living in denial. Dude is lucky to be alive. Ok

Wel done Jerry Useni for gunning down Ironsi and other Ibo co-conspirators who killed other leaders and forgot theirs

see him face aboki nama