THE EXECUTION OF DIMKA AND HIS GROUP

It all started on the 13th February, 1976 with the assassination of the then Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed in a coup attempt headed by Col. Bukar Suka  Dimka. Also killed in the coup was the then Kwara State Governor, Ibrahim Taiwo.  Shortly after, Dimka came on air to announce the take over of the Government by his team.  Unfortunately for them, the coup has been foiled. So Dimka and some of his comrades were on the run.
Saturday, 15th  May, 1976, two months and ten days after he was arrested on Abakaliki Road in Ebonyi State, “The Devil Colonel “ (as people loved to call him) faced the bullets in front of Lagos  crowd that were gathered to see the devil re-incarnate Colonel. He had been kept this long  because they were waiting for the arrival of General Yakubu Gowon whom Col. Dimka had implicated during his squalling about  all he knew of the assassination of the late Head of State.  When it was discovered that Britain was playing politics and being unnecessarily diplomatic about the extradition of Gowon, the announcement for his execution was announced and people came to see his end.
During his public execution, Dimka wore a long-sleeve French suit and his distinct symbol was the smile he pasted on his cheeks. Dimka was there smiling.  If the timing of his execution was an element of surprise, Dimka’s final show was worth recording for posterity,  For as the cameras focused on him, he still smiled.
He was still smiling even after the expert marksmen, itching to discharge their duties, started corking their guns.  Then the Priests not taking into consideration the tensed atmosphere, were trying to offer last minute blessing to the young men. The marksmen stood at alert and the mortal message was let loose and the shots from the lethal weapons started coming, Dimka finally went down.  He went down side by side with a former Governor, Mr. J. D. Gomwalk.  They were seven in number that were executed together at once, while the crowd cheered at the rapidity with which the bullets were splattering out of the deadly hole.
On Sunday, 16th May, 1976, it was the Headlines in most of the Dailies.  The Daily Times reported the story “SEVEN MORE EXECUTED”.  It states:
Seven more persons were last night executed by firing squad at the Kirikiri Prisons, Lagos for their part in the abortive coup of February 13.  Two of the seven were Lt. Col. Bukar Suka Dimka, who co-ordinated the coup and Mr. .Joseph D. Gomwalk, once Governor of the then Benue-Plateau State. The other five were Lt. Kwale, Warrant Officer. E. Bawa, Col. I. Buka, Major J. K. Afolabi and Mr. H. Shaiyen of the Nigeria Police Force. The Supreme Military Council had ay its meeting last Friday had confirmed the death sentences along with other  conclusions of the Military Tribunal set up to try those connected with the abortive coup.
Earlier, on March 11, 32 persons among them Major General I. D. Bisalla who was the Commissioner for Defense, were executed by firing squad for their part in the abortive coup in which the former Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed was killed.  Also killed in the coup attempt to overthrow the Federal Military Government was the Governor of Kwara State, Col. Ibrahim Taiwo.  Yesterday’s executions which started at 4.20p.m. and ended 20 minutes later were mostly watched by soldiers, warders, policemen and motley crowd.
No one would forget Dimka and his smiles.  Even the Times headlines screamed “DIMKA BEAT THEM TO IT” and it reported:
As predicted by those who knew him, Lt. Col. Buka Dimka faced the bullets at the weekend with a smile on his face.  He was one of the seven persons executed by firing squad on Saturday for their part in the February 13 abortive coup.  The army physical training instructor, whose theatrical performance at a news conference on March11 - at which his confessional statement was distributed to the press – baffled both friends and foes, put up his last show while on the stake.  Of those who died on Saturday, he was the only one wearing a smile.  He was also the only one of the 39 persons so far killed in connection with the February 13 incident to have openly admitted to participating in the coup bid.
Shortly before he was shot, Dimka told the crowd of Soldiers, Police and Prison Officials  “Honestly, to my mind, I took part in the coup but it failed”.  At exactly 4.30pm. an end was put to the life of a man who took part in his drinks and women. Unlike the haggard looking fugitive that was arrested on March 5, Dimka looked robust.  He was also clean-shaven.  Bukar Dimka according to his confessional statement was at the scene of the dastardly murder of General Murtala Ramat Muhammed on the day of the coup. A statement he recorded on the coup was broadcast on the Network of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) several times that day until the loyal troops took over control of the studio.  Buka Dimka also admitted in his statement that he took part in the planning of the coup.  After the coup failed, he escaped but was caught at a road block on Enugu – Abakaliki Highway 28 days later.  And at the weekend, while he looked into the barrel of a gun, Dimka prayed for Nigeria and said his only regret was that he had not made his will.

GOMWALK SLIPPED ON HIS WAY TO DEATH

Joseph Deshi Gomwalk, former Police Commissioner and State Governor, slipped on his way to Keep  a date with death on Saturday.  Joseph, who looked pale and confused, staggered as eh came face to face with the seven stakes and the marksmen.
Throughout the preliminary arrangement for his execution, he was speechless.  First indication of his involvement in the abortive coup came to light in a confessional statement of Bukar Dimka.  He also said that information contained in his second recorded broadcast which he was not able to make on February 13, was supplied to him  by Gomwalk
A graduate of the University of Ibadan, Joseph Deshi Gomwalk was born on April 13, 1935.  He graduate Bachelor of Science  (BSc) Zoology with specialization in parasitology in 1961.
Joseph worked as a Research Officer, Veterinary School, Kaduna only for four months before he moved to the then Northern Nigeria Administrative Service.  In November, 1965, he again moved to the Federal Administrative  Service from where he transferred to the Nigeria Police Force.  Following the creation of 12 states in the country Joseph Deshi Gomwalk was appointed Governor of the then Benue-Plateau State on May 27,  1967.  Om July 30, 1975, he was removed along with other Governors who served under the Gowon regime following the change in administration.