The family of Nigeria’s first military Head of State, Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, has called on the Federal Government to issue an official apology and pay compensation, 60 years after his ass@ssination.

The demand was made by the Head of the Aguiyi-Ironsi family, Imo Aguiyi-Ironsi, who is the nephew of the late military leader, during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Thursday, July 30.

He described the late Head of State as a detribalized leader, a patriot, and a visionary who served Nigeria with dedication but was denied the opportunity to complete his mission after spending only six months in office.

According to him, the Nigerian government has never offered the family a sincere apology or any form of reconciliation for the k!lling of their son.

“The only crime he committed was that he was the most senior officer at the time. And he was called upon to take over after the coup. He did no take part in the coup. He accepted the call to serve his fatherland before he was gruesomely ass@ssinated.

“After he was as$assinated, people moved on. The family needs to be compensated, given a sincere apology, and reconciliation,” he said.

Major General Aguiyi-Ironsi became Nigeria’s Head of State following the January 1966 military coup, which claimed the lives of then Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and several senior military officers. He was later overthrown and ass@ssinated in the July 1966 counter-coup.