“Buhari and Idiagbon ruled with a holier-than-thou mindset," IBB explains reason for 1985 coup

Former military leader, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), has disclosed the motives behind the 1985 coup that led to the removal of General Muhammadu Buhari from office. In his newly published memoir, “A Journey in Service”, Babangida described the takeover as an unavoidable response to increasing public frustration and deteriorating national conditions.  

He explained that by early 1985, anxiety and uncertainty had gripped the nation, with citizens growing fearful of what lay ahead. According to him, the military intervention of 1983, originally intended to steer the country in the right direction, had largely deviated from its purpose. “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. It was clear to the more discerning leadership of the armed forces that our initial rescue mission of 1983 had largely miscarried,” he reflected.  

Babangida criticized Buhari and his deputy, Brigadier General Tunde Idiagbon, for governing with an overbearing and isolated approach. He accused them of creating divisions between the military and civilians through their rigid style of leadership. “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,” he stated.  

Rather than unifying the country, Babangida argued that Buhari’s administration enforced severe policies that stripped the people of any hope for relief. “We were supposed to improve their lives and imbue the people with hope for a better future. Instead, we ruled the nation with a series of draconian decrees,” he wrote, emphasizing that the government’s methods only worsened public discontent.  

Economic struggles, he noted, were another major source of frustration. Babangida blamed stringent economic controls and an outdated reliance on barter trade for worsening the hardships faced by ordinary citizens. “Ordinary people were experiencing severe economic hardship. 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,” he explained.  

As the Chief of Army Staff at the time, Babangida revealed that discontent was not limited to civilians—there was growing unrest within the military ranks as well. Officers across different levels, frustrated with the government’s actions, pressured him to step in and restore order. “This tense atmosphere culminated in the unanimous decision of a broad spectrum of senior and middle-level officers to change the nation’s leadership,” he recounted.  

He further stressed that the transition of power was conducted smoothly, avoiding any loss of life. “The processes associated with this change were completed without bloodshed by midnight on August 26, 1985,” he stated. His account provides a deeper look into the internal power struggles that shaped one of Nigeria’s most pivotal political events.