1966:An RSM Told Me At 4AM”They’ve Killed PM Balewa, Maimalari;We Came To See If You’re Alive”—Tarfa

General Paul Tarfa (rtd) has revealed how he became the only officer at the Federal Guards unit in Lagos who remained loyal to the Nigerian government during the January 15, 1966 coup

In an interview with Trust TV, Tarfa explained that he was a Second Lieutenant when he was posted to the Federal Guards in December 1964. He said his duty was to protect the Prime Minister and other important government installations.

Tarfa recalled that around 4 a.m. on the morning of the coup, he was woken up by a knock on his door. He said when he looked through his window, he saw the unit’s Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM), Tayo Samuel, who was with some soldiers.

Tarfa said Samuel was surprised and relieved to discover that he was still alive. He said Samuel informed him that a coup had taken place and that Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and senior military officer Brigadier Zakariya Maimalari had been killed.

Tarfa said Samuel also warned him that they were not safe at the unit and urged him to come downstairs. He said he quickly changed his clothes, prayed and followed the soldiers to the Federal Guards unit.

Tarfa explained that when he arrived, the commanding officer and several senior officers, including Garba, Igbueze, Okafor, Osuma and Ezedibo, were either absent or had joined the coup plotters.

Tarfa said he was the only officer left who remained loyal to the government. He said despite the confusion, he took charge of the unit and worked to resist the coup and protect Dodan Barracks.

In Tarfa’s words: “This is an RSM with troops at 4 in the morning seeing me through window and was praising God that I was still alive and asking me to get down quickly. He said in his words: “The country is not good sir, come down now. Even as we are here now it is not good for us. Come down sir, they have staged a coup in this country. They have killed Maimalari, they have killed Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa. Even as we are here now it is not good for us. We came here to find out if you are still alive sir”

You can watch the video from 16:45 to 17:46

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