1976 — Murtala Muhammed Assassinated

On Friday, February 13, 1976, Nigeria's head of state, General Murtala Muhammed, was gunned down in Lagos traffic by soldiers led by Lieutenant-Colonel Bukar Dimka, just six months into office. Dimka seized the radio studios and announced his coup, but the putsch collapsed within hours.

General Olusegun Obasanjo took over, kept Murtala's promises, and returned Nigeria to civilian rule in 1979. Murtala remains Nigeria's most beloved military ruler: Lagos's international airport and the naira's most-used banknote both bear his name. Six months in power were enough to fix his place in the nation's memory for good. His name still greets travellers and changes hands daily across Nigeria.