The 1966 Nigerian coup d’état began on January 1966, when mutinous Nigerian soldiers killed 22 people the Prime Minister of Nigeria, many senior politicians, many senior Army officers. The likes of Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the then Prime Minister, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, the Premier of the Western region, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, the finance minister were killed in the most gruesome manner.
While leaders from the northern, western and mid-western regions were killed during the coup, no Igbo leaders were assassinated. Nnamdi Azikiwe, president of Nigeria, had at the time gone on a prolonged medical trip to London.
Unegbe was murdered in his home in Apapa during the coup operation by Anuforo. He was shot in the presence of his pregnant wife. The only Igbo military officer who lost his life was the then Quarter-Master General, Lt-Col Arthur Chinyelu Unegbe because he refused to hand over the keys of the armoury to the coup plotters.
Reference:
https://dawodu.com/siollun1.htm
https://dailytrust.com/british-secret-files-on-nigerias-first-bloody-coup-path-to-biafra-3
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