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Edo fallen heroes: Major General Agbazika Innih

Major General Agbazika Innih

By Michael

Major General Agbazika Innih served as military Governor of Bendel state from (August 1975-March 1976) and was later deployed to kwara state as military Governor from 1976-1978.He was born on September 25, 1939 at Agenebode, and educated at catholic school, Akure; Government school warri; Holy cross catholic Benin City and Edo College Benin City. He enlisted in the Nigeria Army in 1962 and attended the Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot and Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst both in England.

Maj.Gen. Innih was platoon commander, Ibadan; Chief instructor, Nigeria Military School Zaria; and Deputy Military Secretary, Supreme Headquarters, Lagos.

During the Nigeria civil war, he served in the 3rd marine Commando as Brigade major, 14 Infantry Brigade; Commander, 13 Infantry Brigade, 3rd marines Commando;

Colonel General Staff,1 Infantry Division ,Nigeria Army; member, reorganization of the Nigeria Army Committee; Quarter-Master-General, Nigeria Army; and General Officer Commanding,  1Infantry Division, Nigeria Army.
Like the army take-over of January 15, 1966, the coup of July 29, 1975, was
prompted by corrective instincts. Yakubu  Gowon and his military governors had been in office for nine years more than two terms the life of a normal government, with indications that the 1976 date on which he had earlier promise to hand over to civilians was no longer realistic. The coup of July 29, 1975 brought to power a new military administration under Brigadier Murtala Mohammed, as Head Federal Military Government With Col. George Agbazika Innih as the Military Governor of the Midwest State.
Soon after the military governor assumed duty on August 2, 1975, the new administration dissolved the Midwest Executive council and boards of statutory corporations. In addition to suspending all forms of contract awards, the administration also set up two committees, one of which was to ascertain the fiscal position of the government, while the other was to inspect and report on all projects undertaken by government. The Midwest Mass Communications, comprising the Corporation and the Ethiope publishing Corporation, was dissolved while the three entities which made up the omnibus corporation were re-organised as separate bodies.

The Innih Administration also set up the Odje commission to probe the composition, structure, functions and operations of 74 statutory corporations, boards and government-owned or sponsored companies. As a result of the probe, some permanent secretaries and other serving officers were retired from service.

On February 13, 1976, there was an unsuccessful coup in which general Murtala Mohammed was killed .His Army Chief of Staff Lt-Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo,who succeeded him reassigned Col. Innih to Kwara state. And replaced him with Navy captain Husain Abdullahi, as the military Governor of Bendel State Col. Innih served eight months in the state as Military Governor..

He voluntarily retired as a major-General from Nigerian Army in April, 1980. passed away in 2002 before his dead he was a devoted Christian, married with many children

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