| 1975 Nigerian coup d'état | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Yakubu Gowon | Joseph Nanven Garba Murtala Mohammed Olusegun Obasanjo | ||||||
The1975 Nigerian coup d'état was a bloodlessmilitarycoup which took place inNigeria on 29 July 1975[1][2] when a faction of juniorArmed Forces officers overthrew GeneralYakubu Gowon (who himself took power in the1966 counter-coup). ColonelJoseph Nanven Garba announced the coup in a broadcast on Radio Nigeria (which becameFRCN in 1978).[3] At the time of the coup, Gowon was attending the 12thOrganisation of African Unity (OAU) Summit inKampala,Uganda. The coup plotters appointed BrigadierMurtala Mohammed as head of state, and BrigadierOlusegun Obasanjo as his deputy.[4][5][6] The coup was motivated by unhappiness of junior officers at the lack of progress Gowon had made in moving the country towardsdemocratic rule, while Garba's role as an insider is credited with ensuring that the coup was bloodless.[2]
Mohammed, whose policies and decisiveness won him broad popular support and elevated him to the status of a folk hero,[7] stayed in power until 13 February 1976 when he was assassinated during acoup attempt. Obasanjo succeeded him as head of state.[8]
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Head of State of Nigeria 1975-1976 Government Battle Career
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