On February 13, 1976, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, the Head of State and Chief Commander of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, was assassinated in Lagos during an unsuccessful coup led by Lieutenant Col. Dimka Buka Suka
According to history, General Murtala Muhammed’s low-key lifestyle made it easier for the coup plotters to assassinate him. On February 13, 1976, Gen. Murtala Muhammed drove an official black Mercedes Benz saloon to his office at Dodan Barracks around 8 a.m. His Aide-de-camp (ADC), Akintunde Akinsheinwa, an orderly named Michael Otuwu, and a driver were with him.
Michael Otuwu’s pistol was the only visible sign of protection. Murtala, in contrast to many other Nigerian leaders, did not travel around with a dozen recklessly driving convoys. A traffic controller stopped the head of state’s Mercedes-Benz car in the lane next to the Federal Secretariat in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Lt-Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, who served as Lieutenant-General and Chief of Staff (Supreme Headquarters), The Chief of Army Staff, Theophilus Danjuma, was also targeted for assassination almost on the same day as the Head of State. Unlike Lt. Gen., General Murtala was not fortunate. Lt-Gen. Obasanjo and Danjuma, who escaped the assault.
Lt-Col. Dimka and three other conspirators for the coup, Major Rabo, Captain Parwang, and Lieutenant Seri, were already waiting for Murtala’s car in a gas station. Dimka and his men opened fire on Murtala’s vehicle as it stopped in traffic, killing everyone except the orderly, Michael Otuwu, who survived to tell his side of the story.
Attacked Vehicle of General Murtala Muhammed.
Otuwu explained that he had previously observed a man in traditional Hausa clothing, dressed in babanriga, approaching their vehicle as soon as it stopped; Dimka was later determined to be this man. According to Otuwu, “He (Dimka) shot the driver in the head, then other loyal soldiers ran toward the car and opened fire.” If the coup plotters hadn’t noticed that Murtala’s car door opened shortly after it was filled with bullets from AK-47 assault rifles, he wouldn’t have survived the attack. Murtala was killed this time by another hail of bullets as soon as Dimka’s boys noticed the open door.
Immediately following the murder, Lt. Col. Buka Suka Dimka dashed to the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) to declare the coup’s success, even though he was unaware that it had not yet been carried out.
Dimka read his first speech at the NBC:
“Fellow Nigerians, the deficiency of Murtala Muhammed has been discovered. Young revolutionaries are now overthrowing his government. The states they currently govern are not under the control of any of the 19 military governors. Until further notice, the affairs of the state will be managed by military brigade commanders…” Lieutenant Col. Dimka boasted, “Unfortunately for him too, he didn’t live to rectify his dream of ruling Africa’s most populous country,” believing the coup to have been successful. General Muhammed, in contrast to General Yakubu Gowon, was regarded as tough, tenacious, and fearless. It is said that he used these characteristics in his determined fight to get rid of all forms of corruption committed by some military governors and politicians under General Gowon. He said they had betrayed the nation’s trust and confidence and the ethics of their profession.
“His fight against public sector corruption led to mass dismissals and the retirement of over 10,000 public officials on the basis of inefficiency and corruption,” says General Murtala’s car. In modern Nigeria, many people who were fired or retired were thought to be in high positions and had connections in high places. While the General was willing to make the difficult decision for a greater and brighter tomorrow, despite the fact that the current crop of leaders in Nigeria lacks the political will to make difficult choices that could improve the country’s circumstances, it could be said that this is the difference between General Muhammed and the current crop of leaders in Nigeria.
Col. At Radio Nigeria, Ibrahim Babangida led a group of soldiers to drive Dimka and his men away from Lt-Gen. Danjuma. Dimka reportedly escaped through a tunnel, according to reports.
During their execution, Lt. Dimka and six other coup plotters executed each other. Col. On March 6, 1976, Dimka was detained near Abakaliki in Eastern Nigeria. Dimka and six other coup plotters were executed by firing squad at the Lagos Maximum Security Prison on May 15, 1976.
Lt-Gen. Muhammed Murtala took over as general. Olusegun Obasanjo held power until 1979, when he handed it over to Alhaji Sheu Shagari’s democratic government.
