Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.), has revealed how the officer entrusted with his personal security, Joseph Garba, allegedly betrayed him.
Gowon was making referenece to the key role played by Garba in the military coup that overthrew his government in July 1975.
Gowon disclosed that Garba, who served as Commander of the Federal Guards Unit, had repeatedly denied involvement in any plot against his administration just days before the coup occurred.
The former military leader made the revelation in his 859-page autobiography titled My Life of Duty and Allegiance.
The book launch attracted several prominent personalities, including President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, former President Goodluck Jonathan, senior government officials, military veterans and other dignitaries.
In the memoir, Gowon described the overthrow as one of the deepest betrayals of his life, noting that those behind the coup were individuals he had trusted and elevated to strategic positions.
He recounted that his Chief Security Officer and head of the Special Branch, M.D. Yusuf, had warned him ahead of the Organisation of African Unity summit in Kampala, Uganda, that some military officers were plotting to remove him from office.
According to him, Yusuf specifically mentioned Garba and Anthony Ochefu, who was then Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Military Police.
Gowon said the intelligence placed him in a difficult position because Garba headed the elite security unit responsible for protecting the Head of State.
He added that his confidence in Garba was strengthened by their close relationship and shared background.
“As commander of the Federal Guards, which was entrusted with protecting the Head of State, Garba was expected to show absolute loyalty,” Gowon stated in the book.
Rather than order immediate action against the suspects, Gowon said he chose to confront Garba directly.
He recalled that Garba denied any knowledge of a coup plot and swore he was not involved in any conspiracy against the government.
However, Gowon said later developments heightened his suspicions, especially after Ochefu allegedly refused to return to Lagos as instructed.
Despite the warnings, the former Head of State travelled to Kampala for the OAU summit on July 27, 1975, though he admitted he remained uneasy throughout the trip.
According to him, he eventually learnt of his removal from office while attending the conference after Uganda’s then leader, Idi Amin, approached him with a Reuters report announcing the coup.
Gowon said early reports referred to the coup announcer as “Colonel Darwa,” which he suspected was a misspelling of Garba’s name, though he initially struggled to believe the officer could betray him.
The former Nigerian leader also suggested that Garba may have been pressured or manipulated into joining the coup plot.
Beyond the political revelations, Gowon’s autobiography also sheds light on his personal life, including how his wife, Victoria, was prepared for her role as First Lady before their 1969 wedding during the Nigerian Civil War.
He disclosed that Mrs. Efuntiloye Williams, wife of renowned accountant Akintola Williams, personally tutored Victoria on etiquette, British customs and public conduct expected of a First Lady.
Gowon also narrated how some of his aides secretly arranged for Victoria to attend a finishing school in London without first informing her father, Hamza Ahmadu, a move that reportedly sparked tension within the family.
