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Murtala Muhammed Background
General Murtala Muhammed is a well-known figure in Nigeria he served in the Nigeria Armed Force and participated in the Nigeria Civil War popularly known as Biafran War. He was also known as one of the men who carried one of the Bloodiest Military Coup in Africa A coup that saw the death of 2000 Army Personnel. The coup was so bloody that it turned the Nigerian military into instability for over one week.
Murtala Muhammed was born in Kano and went to Gidan Makama primary school in Kano, Murtiala Muhammed was born on 8 November 1938 into a Popular Kano family His father is Mohammed Riskuwa a man who served as a chief Judge in the Kano, his father earn a title called Chief Alkani of Kano when he was alive. His Mother was Kanuri and Fulani Jobowa Clan. Murtala Muhammed began his primary Education in Siki Gid Elementary School which was located inside the Emir’s Palace he then transferred to Gidan Makama Primary School in Kano which was just outside the palace. He later proceed to He then proceeded to Kano Middle School (now Rumfa College, Kano) in 1949, before attending the famous Government College (now Barewa College) in Zaria, where he obtained his school certificate in 1957. At Barewa College Murtala was an exceptional student and as even the captain of shooting in his final year in 957 he obtained his senior Secondary School Certificate the same year and later applied to join the Nigerian Army.
Muhammed Army Journey
General Murtala Muhammed joined the Nigerian Army in 1958. He was trained in Nigeria, and Ghana and later trained at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy England. Upon completion of his training, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1961 a year after the country gained its independence from the British Government.
In 1963 he was appointed as the officer in charge first brigade Signal troop in Kaduna and later promoted to Major in 1964 after completing a course on Advancing Telecommunications techniques at the Royal Corps of Signal Catterick Garrison England England he was put in charge of St. Signal Squadron in Apapa Lagos.
First Nigeria Military Coup
All seemed to be going well with Murtala Muhammed until 15 January 1966 when Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna used Army Personnel from Murtala Muhammed Bridigade to plan Nigeria’s First Military coup which later revolved into a failed coup Major Emmanuel Ifeajunar used Army personnel from Murtala Muhammed squad to invade the then Nigeria Prime Minister Sir Alhaji Tafawa home and arrested him and later murder him.
After the first Military coup, the Northern Soldiers were not very happy with the entire coup cause they seemed to have suffered most from the coup as most of their leaders were murdered in the coup including Alhaji Tafawa Balewa Nigeria Prime Minister Sir, Ahmadu Bello and other prominent figure and to make matter worse most conspirator of this coup and from Eastern Nigeria and majorly Igbo and to escalate the situation more the people that benefit from the Aftermath of the Coup the most Was the Igbo people cause General Agusi Ironsi became the first Military Head of State and he is from Eastern part of Nigeria especially he is an Igbo Man.
Murtala Muhammed Role in Counter-coup 1996
Not long before top officers from the North start planning how to overthrow General Aguisi Ironsi’s Regime a bold name in this plot is no other than Murtala Muhammed who is already bittered that a fellow major could actually play on his intelligence.
General Aguisi Ironsi after knowing the huge mess left behind for him to clear by the coup plotter to make them understand he was never an accomplice in the coup and ease the anger of the Northern Soldiers, started giving out key appointments in his administration to Northern Military personnel he went far as appointing a northerner as his Chief of Staff and even include 70% Northerner on his personal Security Details he further went ahead to promote Major Murtala to Lieutenant Colonel and here begin the counter-coup of 1996.
On 29 July 1966, an unplanned event started in the Nigeria Army Garrison in Abeokuta mutiny led by Northern soldiers who revolted against their Southern counterparts. An operation named ‘A raba’ means secession in Hausa. a lot of South East Soldier was killed in this Event. When the News got to Murtala Muhammed he decided to use this opportunity to begin a counter-coup for the 1996 first Military coup. Muhammed Rally Northern Solider and take over key places of the Nigeria Army operation in Lagos His leadership and decisive actions were crucial to the success of the coup in overturning the regime of Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi.
It was rumoured that Muhammed even allowed an Air flight to carry Northern Military personnel from Lagos to Ibadan to carry out the coup in Ibadan by arresting the then Military Head General Aguisi Ironsi who was just concluding his Nationwide tour and paying a visit to the then Western Military Governor Lieutenant Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi. The coup was a success but the outcome didn’t go the way Murtala wanted it cause he wanted the power for himself instead, the position of the Military head of State was given to Lt. Yakubu Gowon cause he was ahead of Murtala Muhammed in terms of Military ranking and then Yakubu Gowon has the backing of British Government and he was settled for because he didn’t partake in the coup unlike Murtala Muhammed who was known for being one of the coup conspirators.
Muhammed later acknowledge Yakubu Gowon regime and Gowon later favour him by confirming his appointment as Lieutenant Colonel cause all this while he was acting Lt Colonel. Undo Gowon we later regret this as Murtala went ahead after six years to plot a coup that will remove him from office, although the coup was bloodless Muhammed himself we not enjoy the tenure long he was assassination barely seven months into his tenure.
Murtala Muhammed’s Participation in the Civil War
Before we talk about Muhammed’s forceful seizure of Power let’s discuss his role in the Nigeria Civil War popularly known as the Biafran War, even when he was given little or non-accolade for the Nigeria Civil War Lieutenant Colonel Murtala Muhammed was core Military personnel in the War forces actively involved in the war for over one year, during the War Lt. Col Murtala Muhammed commanded the Nigeria 2nd Division of the Army and was involved in critical battle of the War Murtala war tactics are often full of Bold and Reckless Decision, in fact, one of his tactics in the war cause Nigeria to suffer the single day heaviest lost which was widely known as the Angenebo Attack, where a cargo transporting over 2,000 Military Personal and supply was sabotage by the Biafran Army and many Nigeria Military was killed in that sabotage.
At the outbreak of the Nigeria Civil War, Murtala Muhammed was in charge of the 2nd Brigade of the Nigeria Army, this division was tasked with claiming the Midwestern Region as a key area for Nigeria and Brifran cause of its richness in oil this Midwestern Region was defended by a Biafran Soldier name Colonel Victor Banjo. Lt. Col. Murtala Muhammed led his first operation to reclaim the Midwestern region he successfully captured the town of Benin and other towns in the Midwestern region, however, his brutal war tactics led to several accusations of war crime including the target of civilians.
After Capturing Benin City and other Town Murtala sent his eye on the Town of Onitsha a Town located in side Eastern Nigeria, Murtala has early received an order from Gowon to cross the Niger to Idah but Murtala disregard this order and instead led an operation named Operation torch with his force to cross Niger River and open Assault attack Onitsha a decision that was nothing but failure and poor Military tactics planning as Murtala could not capture Onitsha and loss several men in the battle cause he met a deadly resistance force which is the Biafran force in Onitsha. Muhammed later sees there is no hope of attacking Onitsha in an open assault he then turns his attention to another Midwestern town Asaba, A town where Murtala and his men carry out the most brutal massacre in Nigeria’s Civil War history the event that day was known as Asaba Massacre
After his failure to capture Onitsha Murtala turns his frustration on the Asaba town where he and his men are captured in a matter of time but instead of Murtala and his men securing key places in Asaba they turn their attention toward other things like looting, killing and Civilian which went out of the number that day was not a day that should remember the lives lost and number of Casualties that come out that day is the biggest, darkest episode and art of inhuman that occurred throughout the Biafran War.
After Murtala’s numerous failed attempts to capture Onitsha and growing concern over his conduct, Murtala received a lot of criticism from his superior and was later called back to Lagos where Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon released him of his command and was not given charge of any command again throughout the War, he was reassigned away from active combat he later took a break from the Military and move to England it was even rumoured that Murtala reached out to General Olusegun Obasanjo not to swiftly put the War to an end cause it will give Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon more ground in the Military. Obasanjo disregarded this advice as he later brought the war to an end Six months after Murtala was relieved of his command.
Muhammed later managed to rehabilitate his reputation in the years following the conflict. After the war, he became a prominent member of the Nigerian Supreme Military Council. He later went all to plan a coup of his own to succeed Yakubu Gowon’s regime
The Third Military Coup
On July 29 1970 When the then Military head of State was out of Nigeria attending an African Union summit in Kampala Uganda they are a group of junior soldiers at home planned a coup to overthrow his Government, Later that day a bloodless coup took place and Yakubu Gowon government was overthrown and the Announcement was made on Radio in Lagos by Col. Namvan Garba, commander of the Elite Guards Brigade, a man regarded as Yakubu Goown close friend and ally which usually protected the chief of state in his Lagos headquarters.
Colonel Garba said in the broadcast that he and his fellow officers have decided to remove Gowon as Chief of State and Commander in Chief of Armed forces, this was due to the recent activity that happening in the country after Gowon failed to move the country to a Civilian rule and this as erupt a lot of protest in the country. Gowon was informed about the coup in a meeting with other African leaders in OAU in Kampala Uganda, Gowon had earlier suspected that some officers were planning against him and as successfully relocated his family to London United Kingdom, after hearing about the Coup Gowon never returned to Nigeria over a period of time.
The coup plotters further said they had decided to make Brig, Murtala Rufai Mohammed, the New Military Head of State and the Commander in Chief of Armed Forces and make General Olusegun Obasanjo the Vice.
Their Administration went on to succeed Yakubu Gowon and Murtala Muhammed started making his presence felt to the people as the new head of State. Muhammed administration was known for bold policy and one of those policies was a plan to move the Nation’s capital, Murtala Muhammed was the first Head of state who planned to move the Nation’s capital from Lagos which is the most influential and economic stable country than to Abuja a place with low population and rarely as an Indigenous people of their own although Abuja as it owns tribe people popularly know as Gbagyi they occupied a small portion in the City then, Murtala made this decision due to the ever-increasing population of Lagos and is located at the end of the country and also close to the Atlantic Ocean. Abuja lies in the centre of the Country.
Murtala further made more aggressive and bold actions by trying to curb the nonchalant attitude in the Nigeria Civil sector, he began the scrutiny of Civil service and started accessing their credentials and work these activities brought about the dismissal of over Five thousand civil service in the Nation resulting to protest all over the country, Murtala Muhammed made a lot of effort to move the Nation to light by bringing the anti-corruption agenda into his administration which tends to deal and punish any corruption case.
Murtala’s administration outlined a plan for a great country but his way of enforcing the policy not only made the citizens uncomfortable but he started making people around him too uncomfortable including Lieutenant Colonel Dimka a man who they both participated in 1966 counter-coup.
You see Murtala administration was a a unilateral decision-making, which often excluded critical stakeholder input. His approach left little room for debate or opposition, which some viewed as dictatorial, he always made bold decisions without proper consolidation.
Murtala Muhammed as the Head of State made a plan to switch to Civilian rules but to many, it seemed nothing but a bluff cause Murtala’s administration was full of Military he left little or no room for civilians.
Murtala way of enforcing accountability did not take tone on only ordinary Nigeria but also on people in his administration, his policy saw thousands of Nigeria lose their means of livelihood with no means to feed their families, and this went on for months until February 13, 1976, a coup was a plot against Murtala Muhammed which later led to his death.
Murtala Muhammed Assasination
On February 3, 1976, General Murtala Muhammed left his Residence in Ikoyi Lagos state to his office at Dodan Barrack where he performed his daily activities, usually, Murtala was known for not using Military convey when leaving his house to Dodan barrack and coup plotter know this for a fact and take advantage of the fact, On his way to the Barrack a bunch of Military officer lead by Lieutenant Colonel Dimka ambush the unharmed convey of the head of State, The Head of state was Journey in a Black Mercedez Benz and he was shot dead by the coup plotter including his aid at that time Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa.
General Murtala Muhammed died on the instant and that brought an end to the regime of the third Military Ruler of Nigeria, Lieutenant Colonel Dimka tried to take over the country through the coup but failed he seized the Lagos Radio centre and went on air to announce the coup that Murtala Muhammed administration has come to an end due to Corruption and Injustice of policy the administration. Dimka was unable to see his dream of becoming a head of state come to reality as he failed to neutralise the situation to make it a successful coup he was unable to take over key and strategic places which later led to the coup failure as Olusegun Obasanjo and other officers are able to gain the upper hand and abolish the coup.
When Dimka learned the plan had failed he fled Lagos and went into exile for several weeks, A national manhunt was declared for the capture of Dimka he was later arrested and he implicated several other people involved in the coup, Dimka and his fellow coup plotter was arranged in a Court in Lagos and was found guilty of Man Slaughter and he was sentenced to dead with his fellow Coup plotter and was killed by a firing squad in Lagos.
General Murtala Mohammed was buried the second day after his assassination on 14th February 1976 at his hometown in Kano. His funeral was attended by friends and Family and other Military officers, Murtala Muhammed was succeeded by 3 children and one later went on to become a Lawyer who is currently the CEO of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation.
