By Milcah Tanimu
Former military President General Ibrahim Babangida (retd) has defended the 1985 coup that ousted General Muhammadu Buhari, stating it was necessary to address worsening national conditions.
In his newly released autobiography, A Journey in Service, Babangida described the coup as a response to public dissatisfaction and economic hardship. He accused Buhari and his deputy, Brigadier General Tunde Idiagbon, of isolating themselves from the military and enforcing authoritarian policies that infringed on citizens’ rights.
Babangida noted that economic policies, including barter trade, deepened Nigeria’s financial crisis, while fundamental rights were routinely violated. He claimed that pressure from junior officers and divisions within the military led to the coup, which was executed bloodlessly on August 26, 1985.
