361. Editorial Note
On January 15, 1966, the Nigerian Government was overthrown by a military coup. Major Kaduna Nzeogwu and the other junior officers who led the coup, however, failed to take power. Instead, on January 16, Major General Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi, Commander in Chief of the Army, assumed power as Head of the National Military Government. His government announced the death of Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
A Nigerian Ministry of External Affairs note of January 20 informed the U.S. Government that the Council of Ministers had “unanimously decided to hand over voluntarily the administration of the country” to the Army on January 16, that Nigeria would continue to honor its treaty obligations, and that it hoped to continue normal and cordial relations with the U.S. Government. (Telegram 1060 from Lagos, January 20; Department of State, Central Files, POL 16 NIGERIA) The State Department responded by note to the Nigerian Embassy on January 27 that the U.S. Government continued to maintain diplomatic relations with the Government of Nigeria, and expected to continue to do so. (Telegram 1573 to Lagos, January 27; ibid.) The Department issued a statement to this effect at the regular noon press briefing on January 28, and added that the question of recognition did not arise.