Murtala Mohammad
| Murtala Rufai Ramat Muhammed | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 4th Head of State of Nigeria | |
|
In office July 30, 1975 – February 13, 1976 |
|
| Preceded by | Yakubu Gowon |
| Succeeded by | Olusegun Obasanjo |
| Federal Commissioner for Communications | |
|
In office 1111–1975 |
|
| General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Ibadan | |
|
In office August 1967 – May 1968 |
|
| Succeeded by | Ibrahim Haruna |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
November 8, 1938 Kano City, Northern Region, Nigeria, Colonial Nigeria |
| Died | February 13, 1976 (aged 37) Lagos, Lagos State, Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Political party | (None) |
| Spouse(s) | Ajoke Muhammed |
| Alma mater |
Barewa College Regular Officers Special Training School R.M.A. Sandhurst |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 Nigeria
|
| Service/branch |
 Nigerian Army
|
| Years of service | 1958 - 1975 |
| Rank | General |
Murtala Rufai Ramat Muhammed (November 8, 1938 – February 13, 1976) was the military ruler (Head of the Federal Military Government) of Nigeria from 1975 until his assassination in 1976.
Murtala Muhammed was born on 8 November 1938, one of eleven children of Risqua Muhammed and Uwani Rahamat in Kano, Nigeria. He was educated at Cikin Gida and Gidan Makama primary schools in Kano attending the famous Government College (now Barewa College) in Zaria, and where he obtained his school certificate in 1957.
Murtala Muhammed joined the Nigerian Army in 1958. Muhammed was trained as an officer cadet at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy in England. After his training, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1961 and assigned to the Nigerian Army Signals that same year.
In 1961, Muhammed was appointed aide-de-camp (ADC) to M. A. Majekodunmi, the federally-appointed administrator of the Western Region.
In 1963, he became the officer-in-charge of the First Brigade Signal Troop in Kaduna, Nigeria. That year he traveled to the Royal Corps of Signals at Catterick Garrison, England for a course on advanced telecommunications techniques.
On his return to Nigeria in 1964, he was promoted to major and appointed officer-commanding, 1st Signal Squadron in Apapa, Lagos.
In November 1965, he was made acting Chief of Signals of the Army.
In January 1966 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and was the inspector of signals in Lagos.
At the start of the Nigerian Civil War, he led the newly established 2nd Infantry Division for which he was made the first General Officer Commanding in August 1967. In March 1968, he was redeployed to Lagos and was appointed Inspector of Signals. In April 1968 he was promoted to colonel.
Between 1970 and 1971, he attended the Joint Service Staff College in England. After the war, he was promoted to brigadier-general in October 1971. On 7th August 1974, the head of state, General Yakubu Gowon appointed him as the new Federal Commissioner for Communications, which he combined with his military duties as Inspector of Signals at the Army Signals Headquarters in Apapa, Lagos.
On 29th July 1975, General Gowon was overthrown while attending the 12th summit of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in Kampala, Uganda. Muhammed, took power as the new Military Head of State.
On Friday 13 February 1976, Muhammed set off for work along his usual route on George Street. Shortly after 8 a.m. his Mercedes Benz car traveled slowly in the infamous Lagos traffic near the Federal Secretariat at Ikoyi in Lagos and a group of soldiers (members of an abortive coup led by Dimka) emerged from an adjacent petrol station, ambushed the vehicle and assassinated Muhammed.
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Wikipedia