Former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has revealed that the conspiracy to assassinate former Head of State, General Murtala Muhammed, started from the moment he took power in 1975.
In his newly launched autobiography, A Journey in Service, Babangida disclosed that younger military officers had expected Murtala to lead a ‘collective government’ after ousting General Yakubu Gowon. However, Murtala’s outright rejection of a power-sharing arrangement with Brigadiers Olusegun Obasanjo and Theophilus Danjuma led to secret plots against him.
Recalling the tense moments after the coup, IBB wrote:
“We, the younger senior officers, wanted Murtala to be first among equals, sharing power with Obasanjo and Danjuma. But he refused outright, insisting he would lead as the sole authority. His loud rejection of the proposal could be heard through the walls as the meeting dragged on past midnight.”
Murtala wasted no time consolidating power, immediately announcing sweeping retirements of top military officers, governors, and civil servants. His administration, though popular with Nigerians, was marked by bold and controversial decisions—including the mass sack of government officials in 1975, a move Babangida now admits may have been excessive.
Murtala’s leadership style, decisiveness, and strong stance on foreign policy won him admiration. He pushed for the return to civilian rule by 1979, spearheaded the creation of seven new states, and made pivotal decisions such as relocating Nigeria’s capital to Abuja.
Despite his widespread reforms, the power struggle within the military ultimately led to his assassination on February 13, 1976. IBB’s revelations shed new light on the political intrigues that shaped one of Nigeria’s most pivotal moments in history.
