On the morning of Friday, February 13, 1976, Nigeria was thrown into chaos when Lt. Colonel Bukar Suka Dimka assassinated Head of State General Murtala Muhammed in a Lagos traffic jam. Dimka then raced to Radio Nigeria in Ikoyi and seized the airwaves, announcing the “successful” coup and claiming control of the government.
What happened next remains one of the most tense and defining moments in Nigerian military history.
Danjuma’s Urgent Order to Babangida
As Dimka was broadcasting his coup announcement, Murtala’s Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Yakubu Danjuma, arrived at Army Headquarters in Lagos and took charge of the counter-operation. Realising that infantry soldiers alone might not be enough to dislodge the heavily armed coupists from the broadcasting house, Danjuma made a decisive call.
He summoned Colonel Ibrahim Babangida, a rising star and commander in the Armoured Corps, and gave him a direct and dangerous order:
“Lieutenant-Colonel Babangida, I want you to go to Radio Nigeria and flush Dimka out of the place.”
Babangida was momentarily stunned. He understood the gravity of the situation — a full-blown coup attempt was underway, and he was being sent straight into the heart of the danger. The order carried the risk of walking into a heavily defended position where Dimka and his co-conspirators were waiting.
The Tension and Babangida’s Dilemma
At that moment, Babangida faced a critical decision. The situation was fluid and extremely volatile. Dimka had already used the element of surprise, and the loyalty of various units was uncertain. Moving armoured forces into Lagos carried its own risks, but Babangida ultimately complied and led the operation that helped crush the coup.
The swift and decisive action by loyal forces, including Babangida’s armoured unit, helped restore order within hours. Dimka was later arrested, tried, and executed along with other plotters.
Why This Moment Matters
This episode highlighted the high-stakes nature of military politics in Nigeria during the 1970s. Babangida’s willingness to obey the order, despite the obvious dangers, played a key role in preventing the coup from succeeding. It also showcased Danjuma’s quick thinking in using the right assets at the right time.
The 1976 coup attempt remains one of the bloodiest and most dramatic in Nigeria’s history. It claimed the life of a Head of State and nearly destabilised the entire military government. The successful counter-operation paved the way for Lt. General Olusegun Obasanjo to emerge as the new Head of State.
Source: Historical narration by @omolokun1 (featured in the Instagram reel by current_andconvo).
What do you think about this dramatic moment in Nigerian history? Do you believe Babangida’s role in crushing the 1976 coup was decisive, or was the outcome inevitable? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
