Aisha Muhammed, daughter of former Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Muhammed, has said her father’s modest lifestyle and leadership philosophy made it easier for assassins to carry out the 1976 coup that claimed his life.
Muhammed, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, made the remarks on ARISE News’ Morning Show on Monday while reflecting on the late military leader’s legacy, 50 years after his assassination.
She described her father as a leader who practiced the values he preached, particularly accountability, responsibility, discipline, and zero tolerance for corruption.
According to her, General Muhammed viewed corruption as a “cankerworm” capable of destroying society and demonstrated his anti-corruption stance not just through policy but through personal conduct and leadership style.
“I think his leadership style was clear. He led with clarity. He believed in accountability. He believed in responsibility,” she said.
She added that the late Head of State strongly believed leaders must embody the ideals they promote.
“He felt corruption was a cankerworm that was going to destroy our society, and 50 years later, look at what has happened,” she noted.
Aisha Muhammed explained that her father deliberately shunned the trappings of power, including heavy security, motorcades, sirens, and excessive privileges, choosing instead to live like the average Nigerian.
This lifestyle, she said, directly contributed to his assassination on February 13, 1976.
According to her account, General Muhammed was travelling in traffic like other road users when the attack occurred.
“My father didn’t go around with motorcades and sirens and a lot of security. That was what he embodied,” she said.
“So that was why it was actually easy to assassinate him, because he didn’t have a whole slew of security with him.
“He was in traffic just like everybody else. The traffic wardens stopped them, and they stopped like everyone else. That was when the coup plotters came out from behind the barricade and shot him.”
