One of the most daring and least talked-about attempted coups in Nigerian military history occurred on February 13, 1976 — the same fateful day General Murtala Muhammed was assassinated in Lagos.
While the entire nation was reeling in shock from the brutal ambush of Murtala’s convoy in Ikoyi, a group of young, radical officers had an even more ambitious plan: to wipe out the entire Supreme Military Council (SMC) in one coordinated strike. Their ultimate target included the man who would soon become Head of State — Lt. General Olusegun Obasanjo.
The Plot
Led by Lieutenant B S Dimka (the same officer who orchestrated Murtala’s assassination), the plotters wanted to decapitate the military leadership completely. They believed that killing both Murtala and Obasanjo, along with other top officers, would create total confusion and allow them to seize power. The plan involved simultaneous attacks on Dodan Barracks, key military formations, and strategic locations across Lagos.
Dimka’s team had already succeeded in gunning down Murtala. Buoyed by that “victory,” they moved swiftly to target Obasanjo and other senior members of the SMC.
How Obasanjo Escaped
Obasanjo was extraordinarily lucky. On that chaotic morning, he was not at his usual residence or office. Intelligence reports and a last-minute change in his schedule kept him away from the planned kill zone. As Dimka’s men searched frantically for him, loyal troops quickly secured Obasanjo and moved him to safety.
The narrow escape was so close that it later became the stuff of military legend. Had the plotters succeeded in eliminating both Murtala and Obasanjo that day, Nigeria’s history would almost certainly have taken a completely different and possibly darker turn.
The Mind-Blowing Aftermath
The coup plot was crushed within hours. Lieutenant Dimka was arrested, tried by a military tribunal, and publicly executed along with several other officers. But the events of that single day left deep scars and shaped the future of the country in profound ways.
Obasanjo, who survived by sheer providence, was sworn in as Head of State. The experience made him more cautious, methodical, and determined to stabilise the nation. Many believe this narrow brush with death influenced his decision to oversee a genuine transition to civilian rule in 1979 — making him one of the few military leaders in Africa to voluntarily hand over power.
What remains truly mind-blowing is how one man’s survival altered the destiny of Africa’s most populous nation. If Obasanjo had been killed alongside Murtala that morning, the power vacuum could have triggered a chain of bloody coups, prolonged military rule, or even fragmentation of the country. Instead, his survival helped Nigeria navigate one of its most delicate periods and eventually return to democracy.
The 1976 coup attempt remains a powerful reminder of how fragile power can be — and how a single twist of fate can change the course of an entire nation.
Sources:
- Gamji.com historical archives
- Dawodu.com (extensive accounts of the 1985 coup)
- The Historyville and other documented Nigerian military history records
