Posted by Samuel on Mon 02nd Feb, 2026 - tori.ng
Aisha, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, spoke on Monday during an interview on Arise News Morning Show, as Nigeria marked the 50th anniversary of the late leader’s assassination.
Aisha Muhammed, the daughter of Nigeria’s former Head of State Murtala Muhammed, has stated that her father’s modest lifestyle and leadership approach contributed significantly to the vulnerability that led to his assassination.
Aisha, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, spoke on Monday during an interview on Arise News Morning Show, as Nigeria marked the 50th anniversary of the late leader’s assassination.
Reflecting on her father’s leadership style, Aisha said the late military ruler embodied the values he preached, particularly discipline, accountability and responsibility.
She noted that his strong anti-corruption stance was not merely rhetorical but reflected in his personal conduct.
“I think his leadership style was clear. He led with clarity. He believed in accountability. He believed in responsibility,” she said.
She added that corruption was something her father viewed as a grave threat to society.
“He actually literally felt that it was a cankerworm that was going to destroy our society, and 50 years later, look at what has happened,” she stated.
According to Aisha, Murtala Muhammed deliberately rejected the trappings of power, including heavy security details, long motorcades, and blaring sirens.
She said her father insisted on living like the average Nigerian, even as Head of State.
Aisha said, “He felt that you had to embody leadership in the way you yourself presented yourself. That Was Why It Was Easy to Assassinate Him”
Aisha revealed that her father’s refusal to move with heavy security made him vulnerable, ultimately contributing to his assassination on February 13, 1976.
She explained that the former leader was travelling in traffic like every other Nigerian when the attack occurred.
She further stated, “My father didn’t go around with motorcades and sirens and a lot of security.
“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. In fact, the traffic wardens stopped them, and they stopped just like everybody else, and that was when the coup plotters came out… and then he was shot.”
General Muhammed came to power in a bloodless coup in July 1975, overthrowing General Yakubu Gowon, but was assassinated barely six months later during a failed coup.
Despite ruling for only about 200 days, his administration introduced sweeping reforms, including the dismissal of over 10,000 public officials accused of corruption, the creation of seven new states, the launch of a transition programme to civilian rule and initiation of the process that led to the relocation of Nigeria’s capital from Lagos to Abuja.