In an interview on The Legacy Series, retired Colonel Anthony Otu-Nyiam revealed that he was among the officers involved in the failed 1990 coup attempt against the military government of Ibrahim Babangida. He clarified that, contrary to popular belief, the operation was led by Saliba Mukoro and not Gideon Orkar.....…
Nyiam explained that although he participated in the planning ... stages, he disagreed with key aspects of the strategy proposed by the plotters. According to him, some members of the group had suggested destroying critical infrastructure, including the Jebba Bridge and the bridge over the River Benue, as part of a plan to fragment the country.
He said he opposed the idea, arguing that such actions would not only endanger lives—particularly those of Nigerians living in the northern region—but also threaten the unity of the nation. Nyiam emphasized that he could not support any move to secede, insisting on his commitment to Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
In his words: “When I joined, I didn’t agree with some of the plans, such as cutting off the country by destroying the Jebba and Benue bridges. They wanted to demolish both bridges and then secede. I felt that was unwise because it would endanger our people in the North. I also made it clear that I could not secede from my own country because I am a Nigerian…....…
