STATEMENT BY MAJOR-GENERAL IRONSI IN LAGOS ON
16 JANUARY 1966
The government of the Federation of Nigeria having ceased to function,
the Nigerian Armed Forces have been invited to form an Interim
Military Government for the purposes of maintaining law and order, and
of maintaining essential services.
This invitation has been accepted, and I, General J.T.U.
Aguiyi-Ironsi, the General Officer Commanding the Nigerian Army, have
been formally invested with authority as Head of the Federation
Military Government, and Supreme Commander of the Nigerian Armed
Forces.
SUSPENSION OF CERTAIN PARTS OF THE CONSTITUTION
The Federation Military Government hereby decrees:
a. the suspension of the provisions of the Constitution of the
Federation relating to the office of President, the establishment of
Parliament, and of the office of Prime Minister;
b. the suspension of the provisions of the Constitutions of the
Regions relating to the establishment of the offices of Regional
Governors, Regional Premiers and Executive Councils, and Regional
Legislatures.
APPOINTMENT OF REGIONAL MILITARY GOVERNORS
The Federation Military Government further decrees:
a. that there shall be appointed a Military Governor in each Region of
the Federation, who shall be directly responsible to the Federal
Military Government for the good government of the Region; b. the
appointment as Adviser to the Military Governor of the Region, of the
last person to hold the office of Governor of the Region under the
suspended provisions of the Constitution.
THE JUDICIARY, THE CIVIL SERVICE AND THE POLICE
The Federation Military Government further decrees:
a. that the Chief Justice and all other holders of judicial
appointments within the Federation shall continue in their
appointments, and that the judiciary generally shall continue to
function under their existing statutes;
b. that all holders of appointments in the Civil Service of the
Federation and of the Regions shall continue to hold their
appointments and to carry out their duties in the normal way, and that
similarly the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Special
Constabulary shall continue to exercise their functions in the normal
way;
c. that all Local Government Police Forces and Native Authority Police
Forces shall be placed under the overall command of the
Inspector-General.
INTERNAL AFFAIRS POLICY
The Federation Military Government announces, in connection with the
internal affairs of the Federation:
a. that it is determined to suppress the current disorder in the
Western Region and in the Tiv area of the Northern Region;
b. that it will declare Martial Law in any area of the Federation in
which disturbances continue;
c. that it is its intention to maintain law and order in the
Federation until such time as a new Constitution for the Federation,
prepared in accordance with the wishes of the people, is brought into
being.
EXTERNAL AFFAIRS POLICY
The Federation Military Government announces, in connection with the
external affairs of the country:
a. that it is desirous of maintaining the existing diplomatic
relations with other States; and
b. that it is its intention to honour all treaty obligations and all
financial agreements and obligations entered into by the previous
Government.
CITIZENS TO CO-OPERATE
The Federation Military Government calls upon all citizens of the
Federation to extend their full co-operation to the Government in the
urgent task of restoring law and order in the present crisis, and to
continue in their normal occupations.
1Federal Ministry of Information Release and Government Notice No.
148/1966.
compiled
by Nowa Omoigui, MD
