Harry Archie
Former Nigerian Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, has said that one of his trusted security aides, Joseph Garba, who once led his protection unit, played a role in the military coup that removed him from office in July 1975.
Gowon made this known in his 859-page autobiography titled My Life of Duty and Allegiance, where he described the incident as one of the deepest betrayals of his life.
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He said the people involved were those he trusted and had promoted to important positions.
According to him, Garba, who commanded the Federal Guards Unit assigned to protect him, later became linked to the coup plot.
He said this was especially painful because Garba had personally assured him just days earlier that he knew nothing about any plan to overthrow the government.
Gowon also revealed that his Chief Security Officer, M.D. Yusuf, had earlier warned him that some officers were planning a coup before the OAU summit in Kampala, Uganda.
He mentioned Joseph Garba and Anthony Ochefu as key officers suspected in the plan.
He explained that he found it very difficult to believe because he had full trust in them.
Garba, he said, was placed in charge of his elite protection unit because of the confidence he had in him.
Gowon added that his trust was also influenced by personal closeness and long-standing relationships with the officers involved.
