My Trusted Officer Joined Plot Against Me” – Gowon Reveals Sh*cking Betrayal

Gowon stated that Garba, who then served as Commander of the Federal Guards Unit, had earlier denied any knowledge of plans to overthrow his administration just days before the coup took place.

The disclosure is contained in Gowon’s 859-page autobiography, My Life of Duty and Allegiance, launched in Abuja on Tuesday.

In the book, the former military leader described the coup as one of the most painful betrayals of his life, saying it was executed by individuals he had trusted and promoted.

He recalled that his Chief Security Officer and head of the Special Branch, M.D. Yusuf, had earlier warned him of a possible plot ahead of the Organisation of African Unity summit in Kampala, Uganda.

According to Gowon, Yusuf specifically named Garba and Anthony Ochefu, then Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Military Police, as key figures linked to the alleged conspiracy.

He said the warning placed him in a difficult position, given Garba’s sensitive role in the Federal Guards, which was responsible for protecting the Head of State.

Gowon wrote that he had developed personal trust and affection for both officers, noting that their loyalty was not in doubt at the time they were appointed.

He further stated that he confronted Garba directly after receiving the intelligence report, but Garba strongly denied any involvement in a coup plot, swearing that he had no knowledge of such plans.

According to Gowon, he warned Garba that he would be held accountable if any evidence of betrayal emerged later.

He also noted that suspicions deepened when Ochefu allegedly failed to return to Lagos as expected, which raised further concerns about a possible conspiracy.

Despite the warning signs, Gowon said he proceeded to attend the OAU summit in Kampala, where he was later informed of his overthrow on July 29, 1975, through a Reuters news dispatch shown to him by then-Ugandan leader Idi Amin.

He added that initial reports referred to the coup leader as “Colonel Darwa,” a name he believed could have been a misrepresentation of Garba.

Gowon, however, said he initially struggled to accept that Garba could have been involved, and even considered the possibility that he was coerced or misled into participating in the coup.

The former Head of State also disclosed that Mrs Efuntiloye Williams, wife of renowned accountant Akintola Williams, helped prepare his wife, Victoria, for her role as First Lady by tutoring her in etiquette, British customs, and protocol.

The account appears in Chapter 17 of the autobiography titled “War’s Raging; Gowon’s Marrying.