{{Short description|Nigerian coup leader (1952–1990)}} Major '''Gideon Gwaza Orkar''' (October 4, 1952 – July 27, 1990) was a Nigerian military officer who staged an attempted violent coup against the government of General Ibrahim Babangida on April 22, 1990.<ref name="u468">{{Cite news | title=Orkar coup: Why I kept mute for 35 years – Col Lawan Gwadabe |newspaper=Daily Trust| date=19 April 2025 | url=https://dailytrust.com/orkar-coup-why-i-kept-mute-for-35-years-col-lawan-gwadabe/ | access-date=17 June 2025}}</ref> Orkar and his conspirators seized the FRCN radio station, various military posts around Lagos and the Dodan Barracks, Lagos, the military headquarters and presidential Villa. Babangida was present when the barracks were attacked but managed to escape by a back route.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dawodu.com/omoigui8.htm |title=The Orkar Coup of April 22, 1990 |author=Nowa Omoigui, MD |publisher=Segun Toyin Dawodu |accessdate=2009-11-21}}</ref>
In his coup address, Orkar called for the excision of five northern states.<ref name=Dawodu>{{cite web|title=April 1990 Coup D'etat Speech|url=http://www.dawodu.com/orkar.htm|website=April 1990 Coup Speech DAWODU.COM Dedicated to Nigeria's History, Socio-Economic and Political issues|accessdate=13 July 2015}}</ref> However, the coup was crushed by the Babangida regime and Orkar including 41 other coconspirators were tried, convicted of treason and were executed.
==Background and education== Gideon Orkar was the 9th child born to the family of Levi Orkar Chi, a teacher of Tiv heritage in Apir village of Makurdi Local Government in Benue State. He attended primary schools at the village of Apir and Wadata.<ref>Ihundu, F. Y. (2004). Major Gideon Orkar: The making of a revolutionary. Makurdi: Cuban Press. P. 11-17</ref> He also attended Boys Secondary School, Gindiri, Plateau State, and while taking Higher School Certificate classes, he responded to an army advertisement and joined the Nigerian Army in 1972 as cadet no 682.<ref>African concord. (1990). The Coup Major, May 7, 1990. Concord Press of Nigeria</ref> He started his officer cadet training at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna with the 12th Regular Combatant Course.<ref name=Newswatch /> He was commissioned in December 1974 in the rank of Second Lieutenant and posted to the Nigerian Army Armoured Corps School in Ibadan.<ref name=Newswatch>{{cite web|title=Orkar’s failed attempt to dismember Nigeria |url=http://www.mynewswatchtimesng.com/orkars-failed-attempt-to-dismember-nigeria/ |website=Newswatch Times |accessdate=13 July 2015 }}{{dead link|date=January 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
==Military career== Orkar was part of the peacekeeping contingent in Chad in 1978. He served in various units including the Reece at Kaduna, 82, Div, Enugu, and Armoured School, Bauchi. In 1986, he attended the senior Officers Course 9 at the Command and Staff College, Jaji. He also served as commander of Saki 22 Armoured Battalion in Oyo State. His last posting prior to the April 1990 coup was as a member of the Directing Staff of the Command and Staff College, Jaji.<ref name=Newswatch />
==Death== Major Orkar and 41 other conspirators were convicted of treason<ref name=Omoigui>{{cite web|last1=Omoigui|first1=Nowa|title=The Orkar Failed Coup of April 22, 1990 Part 2|url=http://www.waado.org/nigerdelta/nigeria_facts/MilitaryRule/Omoigui/OrkarCoup1990-PartTwo.html|website=Urhobo Historical Society|accessdate=13 July 2015|archive-date=27 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200827203136/http://www.waado.org/nigerdelta/nigeria_facts/MilitaryRule/Omoigui/OrkarCoup1990-PartTwo.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> and executed by firing squad on 27 July 1990 by the government of General Ibrahim Babangida.<ref name=UPI>{{cite web|title=Nigerian coup-plotters executed|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/07/27/Nigerian-coup-plotters-executed/8339649051200/|website=United Press International (UPI)|accessdate=13 July 2015}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.dawodu.com/orkar.htm Orkar's Speech]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Orkar, Gideon}} Category:Nigerian Army officers Category:Nigerian Defence Academy alumni Category:Instructors at the Nigerian Armed Forces Command and Staff College Category:People executed by Nigeria by firing squad Category:20th-century executions by Nigeria Category:Executed Nigerian people Category:1952 births Category:1990 deaths Category:Tiv people Category:Participants of coups in Nigeria