- How General Murtala Mohammed was assassinated by a group of soldiers
- Boko Haram attacked Ngouboua, Chad, killed eight civilians, one policeman
- Boko Haram attacked two towns outside of Maiduguri, Borno, killing twenty-one
Konrad Adenauer once said that history is the culmination of all the things that could have been prevented.
Nothing tragic that occurred on February 13 in Nigerian history could have been prevented. These three significant catastrophes that defined February 13 were mostly motivated by egotism and the desire for power.
Sadly, these tragedies resulted in the loss of our sons and girls, and the drive for retaliation or power nearly brought Nigeria’s impoverished nation to its knees because few people could control their hunger for power.
In an effort to raise awareness and encourage reflection on earlier events that almost drove the nation to its knees, WITHIN NIGERIA highlighted these three great disasters that may have been prevented. It also provides us with a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices made by our citizens and the nation’s will to always overcome its challenges.
How General Murtala Mohammed was assassinated by a group of soldiers
General Murtala Mohammed was slain on this date in 1976 on February 13 after his car was assaulted by a gang of troops who were part of a failed coup led by Dimka.
In the famed Lagos gridlock, close to the Federal Secretariat in Ikoyi, Lagos, these soldiers reportedly emerged from a nearby gas station as his Mercedes Benz car was moving slowly.
Credible reports state that on February 13, 1976, Murtala Mohammed, 37, and Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa, his aide de camp, were slain while traveling in a black Mercedes Benz saloon.
His automobile was ambushed on the way to Dodan Barracks in Lagos, where he had an office. It was simple to assassinate him because there was no other obvious evidence of defense other than the pistol his orderly was carrying.
Lt. Col. Buka Suka Dimka, who was killed for treason on May 15, 1976, at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison in Lagos, spearheaded the coup attempt that included the assassination.
Muhammad’s image now graces the 20 Naira note, and Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport bears his name.
Boko Haram attacked Ngouboua, Chad, killed eight civilians, one policeman
Boko Haram militants launched their first known deadly attack in Chad on this day, February 13, 2015. According to locals and security forces, the attack resulted in the deaths of several people, including the village chief.
At the fishing village of Ngouboua on the shores of Lake Chad, dozens of militants arrived by motorized canoe early in the morning. They set houses on fire and attacked a police station before being driven back by the army.
Boko Haram attacked two towns outside of Maiduguri, Borno, killing twenty-one
No less than 21 persons were killed on this day, February 13, 2015, in two separate Boko Haram attacks on villages close to the important city of Maiduguri in northeastern Nigeria.
Community leader Mustapha Abbagini reported that “they (Boko Haram) slaughtered 12 people in Akida village and nine others in Mbuta village during a raid.”
The same number of fatalities was reported by a witness to the attack in Mbuta, and both indicated that the raids, which took place on Thursday morning, saw the insurgents damage homes and shops.