Former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), has opened up on the 1985 coup that removed General Muhammadu Buhari, citing worsening economic conditions and authoritarian leadership as key reasons.
In his newly released autobiography, A Journey in Service, Babangida described the political atmosphere leading up to the coup as tense and dangerous, with public dissatisfaction at an all-time high.
“By the beginning of 1985, the citizenry had become apprehensive about the future of our country. The atmosphere was precarious and fraught with ominous signs of clear and present danger.”
He accused Buhari and his deputy, Brigadier General Tunde Idiagbon, of alienating the military and ruling with draconian policies that infringed on fundamental human rights.
“They both posited a ‘holier than thou’ attitude, antagonising the civil populace against the military. Fundamental rights and freedoms were being routinely infringed upon and abused,” Babangida wrote.
He further stated that harsh economic policies and rigid controls worsened hardship, with essential goods becoming scarce while the government resorted to barter trade in international dealings.
“The general economic and social conditions the people lived under were worsening by the day. Essential goods and supplies were scarce. Yet arbitrary controls in all aspects of economic life and an ancient resort to barter in international trade meant that the nation’s financial woes would not end soon.”
As Chief of Army Staff, Babangida claimed he was under pressure from junior officers to take action, as internal military divisions threatened national stability.
“This tense atmosphere culminated in the unanimous decision of a broad spectrum of senior and middle-level officers to change the nation’s leadership.”
The coup was eventually executed without bloodshed on August 26, 1985, ushering in Babangida’s regime, which introduced significant economic reforms—though not without its own controversies.