The late Head of State who was well loved, took power on July 30th 1975 in a bloodless coup against Gen. Yakubu Gowon's administration. Gowon was overthrown while at an OAU summit in Uganda.
Murtala Muhammed was killed along with his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa, on February 13, in a failed coup attempt led by Lt. Col Buka Suka Dimka. Murtala's car was ambushed while on his way to his office at Dodan Barracks, Lagos. He was succeeded by the Chief of Staff, Supreme HQ, Olusegun Obasanjo. Dimka was later executed for Murtala's assassination.
