<P> The Nigerian counter-coup of 1966, or the so - called "July Rematch", was the second of many military coups in Nigeria . It was masterminded by Lt. Colonel Murtala Muhammed and many northern military officers . The coup began as a mutiny at roughly midnight on July 28, 1966 and was a reaction to the killings of Northern politicians and Officers by mostly Igbo soldiers on January 15, 1966 (see 1966 Nigerian coup d'état .) The July mutiny / counter coup resulted in the murder of Nigeria's first military Head of State General Johnson Aguiyi - Ironsi and Lt Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi (who was hosting a visiting Aguiyi - Ironsi) in Ibadan by disgruntled northern non-commissioned officers (NCOs). Upon the termination of Ironsi's government, Lt. Colonel Yakubu Gowon was appointed Head of State by the July 1966 coup conspirators . </P> <P> According to historian Max Siollun northern soldiers had a list of grievances following the aborted January 15, 1966, coup which led to the planning of the counter-coup . A list of their grievances were: </P>

Who lead the second military coup in nigeria