George Agbazika Innih

Major General George Agbazika Innih
General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army
In office October 1979 – April 1980
Preceded by	Brig P.A. Eromobor
Succeeded by	Maj-Gen. D.N. Jemibewon
Governor, Bendel State, Nigeria
In office 2 August 1975 – March 1976
Preceded by	Samuel Ogbemudia
Succeeded by	Husaini Abdullahi
Governor, Kwara State, Nigeria
In office 1976–1978
Preceded by	Ibrahim Taiwo
Succeeded by	Sunday Ifere
Personal details
Born	(1938-09-25)25 September 1938 Agenebode, Etsako East, Edo State, Nigeria
Died	15 August 2002(2002-08-15) (aged 63) Germany
Military service
Allegiance	Nigeria
Branch/service	Nigerian Army
Years of service	1962–1980
Rank	Major General
Commands	Brigade Commander, 5 Infantry Brigade, Onitsha. Quarter Master General of the Nigerian Army. General Officer Commanding, 1Infantry Division

George Agbazika Innih (25 September 1938 – 15 August 2002) was a Nigerian Army general and statesman. He was the military governor of Bendel and Kwara States.

Early years

George Agbazika Innih was born on September 25, 1938, at Agenebode, Etsako East Local Government Area (LGA) of Edo State. He was educated at Catholic school, Akure, the Government school in Warri, the Holy Cross Catholic school in Benin City and Edo College, Benin City.

Military career

He joined the army, and was trained at Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, England (1962), then at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, England (1962–1964) and 1972. He was appointed platoon commander, 4th Infantry Battalion, Ibadan (1964–65), deputy military secretary, Supreme Headquarters, Lagos, Colonel General Staff 3rd Marine Commando (1968–69) and brigade commander, 5 Infantry Brigade, Onitsha 1974–74.

After the coup of 29 July 1975, by Brigadier Murtala Mohammed, he was made military governor of Bendel State, since split into Edo State and Delta State. Soon after taking control, he dissolved the executive council and the boards of statutory corporations, suspended all contract awards, and set up committees to review finances and projects undertaken by his predecessor Samuel Ogbemudia. Several serving officers were retired from service.

On 13 February 1976, General Murtala Mohammed was killed in a failed coup and his second-in-command, his chief of staff Lt-Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, was appointed as head of state. In March, Obasanjo redeployed Colonel Innih to Kwara state, replacing him with Navy captain Hussaini Abdullahi. Innih served in Kwara State as military governor until 1978.

He was Quarter Master General of the Nigerian Army (1978–79) and general officer commanding, I Infantry Division, Nigerian Army (1979–80), when he retired.

Tenure

Colonel George A. Innih served in the Nigerian Civil War from 1967 to 1970. He was a battalion commander in the 3rd Infantry Division. After the war, he held a number of command and staff positions in the Nigerian Army. In 1976, Innih was appointed military governor of Kwara State. He was a popular governor who was known for his development projects. He launched the Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) program, which was a national agricultural program aimed at increasing food production. He also constructed the Kwara State Stadium Complex, the Adewole Housing Estate, and the Unity and Taiwo Roads. He also built new markets in all local government areas of the state, including the Baboko market in Ilorin. Innih retired from the Nigerian Army in 1980. He died in 2002 at the age of 63.

Subsequent career

Innih became the president of Retired Officers of Nigerian Armed Forces Organization (RANAO). He was chairman/managing director of Niger Valley Agro Industries Limited, chairman / managing director of Tamsaks Nigeria Limited and chairman of Bridgestone Finance Limited. He was honored with the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR). The University of Ilorin awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Law in 1998. He died in 2002.