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BUHARI: How Murtala Mohammed Stopped the Biafrans

In 1967, Nigeria was at war. With Biafra. The Bafran army, goaded by their cause and motivational leadership was marching towards Lagos, the seat of power, conquering cities and states on their way. At about 100 miles from Lagos, Lieutenant Murtala Mohammed was dispatched by Yakubu Gowon, the Nigerian president, to halt the parade. He did it with surprising success. At the Murtala Muhammed 40th Memorial Lecture held last week at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, President Muhammadu Buhari brings the event back into memory. President Buhari recalled that by the time 28 year old Murtala Mohammed was given Command during the Civil War, the Nigerians side was on the defensive under severe assault from the marauding Biafran army. According to Buhari, the rebels had overrun the then Mid-West, and reached as far as Ore, just 100 miles from Lagos. But “By dint of sheer bravery, improvisation and resourcefulness, he mustered a rag-tag group of soldiers, integrated them into an entir