On November 18, 1949, at the Iva Valley Coal Mine in Enugu, Nigeria, 21 striking coal miners and a bystander were killed, and 51 others injured by British colonial police led by Superintendent F.S. Philip. The miners, protesting poor working conditions, unpaid wages, and racial abuse under British management, occupied the mine to prevent a lockout. Tensions escalated when police attempted to remove explosives, leading to the shooting of unarmed workers. The massacre, known as the Iva Valley Shooting, sparked nationwide outrage, fueled the Zikist independence movement, and strengthened Nigeria’s push for independence.

On June 12, 1993, Nigeria held a presidential election, the first since the 1983 military coup. Moshood Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) defeated Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC) in a vote deemed free and fair by observers. Despite Abiola’s apparent victory, military ruler Ibrahim Babangida annulled the results, citing irregularities. This sparked protests, political unrest, and a return to military rule under Sani Abacha. The annulment remains a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s democratic struggle, with June 12 later declared Democracy Day.[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_Nigerian_presidential_election)[](https://von.gov.ng/the-significance-of-june-12-1993-presidential-election-in-nigerias-political-history/)

Sani Abacha was a Nigerian military officer and dictator who ruled as Head of State from 1993 until his death in 1998. Known for his authoritarian regime, he suppressed opposition, controlled the media, and was accused of widespread human rights abuses and corruption, amassing significant wealth during his tenure. His sudden death led to Nigeria's transition to democracy.

The Biafran War, also known as the Nigerian Civil War, lasted from July 6, 1967, to January 15, 1970. It began when the southeastern region of Nigeria, predominantly inhabited by the Igbo people, declared independence as the Republic of Biafra due to ethnic tensions, economic disputes, and political instability following Nigeria's independence from Britain in 1960. The Nigerian federal government, seeking to maintain national unity, launched a military campaign to suppress the secession. The war resulted in widespread famine, particularly in Biafra, and an estimated 3-5 million deaths, mostly from starvation and disease. It ended with Biafra's surrender and reintegration into Nigeria.

The Aburi Accord was an agreement reached in January 1967 in Aburi, Ghana, between Nigeria's Federal Military Government and Eastern Region leaders, aiming to prevent civil war by granting regions more autonomy and establishing a collective military council, but it failed due to differing interpretations and lack of implementation.

The July 1966 counter-coup in Nigeria, also known as the "July Rematch," was a military uprising led by Lt. Colonel Murtala Muhammed and northern officers. Starting as a mutiny on July 28, it was a reaction to the January 1966 coup, resulting in the assassination of General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi and Lt. Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi in Ibadan. Lt. Colonel Yakubu Gowon emerged as Head of State, marking a shift in power amid ethnic tensions.

The Igbo pogroms in Nigeria refer to a series of violent attacks and massacres targeting the Igbo people, particularly in the northern regions of the country.

The failed January 1966 coup in Nigeria was led by a group of young military officers who sought to overthrow the government and eliminate political corruption. The coup resulted in the assassination of the Prime Minister and several other senior officials, but ultimately failed to achieve its objectives, leading to a series of counter-coups and eventually the Nigerian Civil War.