1975 CIA files: Obasanjo, Danjuma, 3 others are Nigeria's most powerful military leaders

1975 CIA files: Obasanjo, Danjuma, 3 others are Nigeria's most powerful military leaders

Who are the most powerful military leaders Nigeria has ever had? Legit.ng has continued to break the news from declassified CIA documents to help the Nigerian public better understand history.

1975 CIA files list Obasanjo, Danjuma, 6 others as Nigeria's most powerful military leaders
1975 CIA files list Obasanjo, Danjuma, 6 others as Nigeria's most powerful military leaders

The Nigerian military rule has been heavily researched by various international bodies. According to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), below is a list of Nigeria's most powerful military leaders as at 1975:

1. General Yakubu Gowon

General Yakubu Gowon
General Yakubu Gowon

General Yakubu Gowon was born on October 19, 1934, he is the former head the Federal Military Government of Nigeria from 1966 to 1975.

He took power after one military coup d'état and was overthrown in another. During his rule, the Nigerian government successfully prevented Biafran secession during the 1967–70 Nigerian Civil War.

After the war, Gowon turned attention to the international scene and seemed complacent about the domestic situation in the country.

Gowon subsequently went into exile in the United Kingdom, where he acquired a PhD in political science as a student at the University of Warwick.

2. Murtala Muhammed

Murtala Muhammed
Murtala Muhammed

After Gowon was ousted, Murtala Muhammed succeeded him.General Murtala Muhammed was born on November 8, 1938.

When he took office barely 13 hours after Gowon was ousted, he swept away the entire military hierarchy by retiring everyone above the rank of major general.

Murtala Muhammed then instituted a new military council made of of 22 men.

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3. Olusegun Obasanjo

Olusegun Obasanjo
Olusegun Obasanjo

Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo, was born on March 5, 1937. He is a former Nigerian Army general who was President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007.

He served as a military ruler from 13 February 1976 to 1 October 1979, succeeding Murtala Muhammed.

Although as a Brigadier, he did not participate in the military coup of July 29, 1975, led by Murtala Mohammed, he supported it and was named Murtala's deputy in the new government.

On February 13, 1976, Army Col. Dimka led a coup, marking Murtala and other senior military personnel for assassination.

Obasanjo escaped death, while Murtala was killed during the attempted coup. The coup was foiled because the plotters missed Obasanjo and General Theophilus Danjuma, chief of army staff.

Obasanjo and Danjuma established a chain of command and re-established security in Lagos, thereby regaining control.

1975 CIA files list Obasanjo, Danjuma, 6 others as Nigeria's most powerful military leaders
1975 CIA files list Obasanjo, Danjuma, 6 others as Nigeria's most powerful military leaders

4. Theophilus Danjuma

Theophilus Danjuma
Theophilus Danjuma

General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma was born on December 9, 1938 is a Nigerian Jukun soldier, politician and multi-millionaire businessman and philanthropist.

He was Nigerian Army Chief of Army Staff from July 1975 to October 1979. He took over from David Ejoor.

He became the Chief of Army Staff to Obasanjo and played a prominent role in supporting the president in resisting the Dimka Coup in 1976. He retired from the Nigerian army in 1979.

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5. John Yisa-Doko

John Yisa-Doko
John Yisa-Doko

Air Vice-Marshal John Nmadu Yisa-Doko, was born in 1942. He was the Nigerian Air Force chief of the Air Staff from 1975 to 1980.

Air Vice Marshal Yisa-Doko was appointed in July 1975, he was the first Air Vice Marshal and Indigenous Chief of Air Staff of the Nigerian Air Force.

He was among the first batch of pilots recruited to serve in the newly formed Nigerian Air Force, and was sent to Ethiopia for training as a pilot.

He was given command over the first air platoon formed, when the German technical assistance team had concluded their mission to form the NAF. He played an active part during the Nigerian Civil War as Officer Commanding NAF flying wing and retired in April 1980.

Source: Legit.ng

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