Military intervention in Nigerian politics was first witnessed in

Analyze the question: It asks for the year the military first intervened in Nigerian politics, which means the first military coup.

Explain the concept: Nigeria became independent in 1960 and a republic in 1963. The First Republic was led by Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and President Nnamdi Azikiwe. By the mid-1960s the country was in crisis because of:

• The 1962-63 Census controversy
• The 1964 federal election crisis
• The Western Region crisis of 1965 (the disputed election and violence known as "Operation Wetie")
• Widespread corruption and political instability

Step-by-step solution:

1. On 15 January 1966, a group of young army officers led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu staged Nigeria's first military coup.
2. Prime Minister Balewa, Premier Ahmadu Bello of the North, Premier Samuel Akintola of the West, and Finance Minister Festus Okotie-Eboh were killed.
3. The coup collapsed, but the remaining ministers handed power to the army chief, Major-General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, who became the first military Head of State.
4. This was the first time the military took control of Nigerian politics.

Checking the other options:

• 1964: the federal election crisis, which was a political crisis and not a coup.
• 1965: the Western Region election crisis, which was also not a coup.
• 1967: the year the Civil War began (the Biafra secession in May 1967). It was not the first military intervention.

Answer: The first military intervention was in 1966, which is option B.

Tip: Remember the sequence 1966 → first coup (January) → counter-coup (July, Gowon takes over) → 1967 → Civil War begins. If a question says "first coup", think January 1966 and Nzeogwu.