The officer who made the announcement was no ordinary Colonel.  He was the Commander of the elite Brigade of Guards in the federal capital, a position he had held as the Federal Guards Company evolved into a Battalion and then Brigade since August 1966, except for the year he was away in Britain at the Staff College, Camberly. He was also widely regarded as a confidant of General Gowon and trusted loyalist of the regime.  His co-option and active participation or neutralization was crucial to the bloodless nature and success of the coup. 

 Garba was originally handpicked (by then Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon) from the 4th battalion in Ibadan, to the Federal Guards Company where he became the second-in-command to Major Donatus Okafor. He remained there until July 1965 when he was posted to 2 Brigade HQ as GSO III under Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna who served as Brigade Major to Brigadier Zak Maimalari.   

Both Ifeajuna and Okafor were later inner-circle mutineers in January 1966.However, Garba was away as a UN observer along the Indo-Pakistani border when the coup took place. Upon his return to post-coup Nigeria, ‘northern soldiers’ of the Federal Guards, apparently now suspicious of ‘Igbo officers’, insisted that he return as second-in-command as a condition of accepting Major B. Ochei, a Midwest Igbo-speaking officer, as the new Commander of the unit in place of Okafor. 

Okafor had been arrested for his role in the assassination of the Prime Minister.However, with Ochei unable to garner the confidence of the ‘northern’ soldiers, Garba virtually became the defacto commander of the unit, beating back an attempt by 2nd Brigade Commander, Lt. Col. H. Njoku to have him posted out in late May 1966. 

 After the July 29, 1966 coup, Garba assumed the command of the unit formally (on August 16th).  He was instrumental (along with then Lt. Col. Murtala Mohammed) in selecting the former residence of the late first republic Defence Minister, Alj.Muhammadu Ribadu, as the new residence of the new C-in-C within the Dodan Barracks perimeter.

During the civil war, Garba selected a special unit of men drawn from the Angas tribe and charged them with Gowon’s personal safety.  As the unit expanded it became more complex. On April 1st, 1968, it was upgraded to a Guards Brigade.  Quite apart from its role in the personal security of the C-in-C and the defence of Lagos, units of the Guards were involved in crucial operations of the 3 Marine Commando and 2nd Infantry Divisions during the Civil War.

  It developed a Brigade HQ, a Guards Garrison at Dodan barracks, as well as several “Guards Battalions.” In 1972, then Major General Gowon ordered a detachment of the Brigade to stand-by at Ikeja for emergency deployment to Niger republic during a coup attempt against then President Hamani Diori. 

 Within the Dodan Barracks clique, Colonel JN Garba, Lt. Col. Paul Tarfa (Garba’s 2ic, and Guards Commander in Garba’s absence), Lt. Col. William Walbe  (Gowon’s military ADC), and the Police ADC, Mr. Yaroson, organized concentric rings of security as the “Czars of Dodan Barracks”.

  This was quite separate from the role of the Head of Police Special “E” Branch, Alhaji MD Yusuf, who was Gowon’s Chief Security Officer (CSO).   According to Oluleye, Gowon’s military ADC, William G. Walbe was so security conscious and strict that Gowon did not even know his own phone numbers and thus could not independently arrange for persons to call him directly.  

Underneath it all, however, were some personal rivalries.  Garba, who was Walbe’s course-mate at the Nigerian Military School, for example, had superseded his contemporaries back in 1965 – although he claimed that Gowon reversed his ‘seniority’ in 1971. Garba was later to complain that after October 1974, Gowon or rather one of the other ‘czars’ - required him to book appointments before seeing the C-in-C.  Added to all of this were some tensions with the first lady. 

 That said, in time to come an image emerged externally that the Guards Unit was an elite military cult deliberately populated by fearsome soldiers of middle belt origin.  This was not a completely fair characterization, although there was certainly a very strong middle belt flavor until the events of 1976 resulted in its disbandment and reconstitution.

  [Paul Tarfa, for example, is from Garkida in the NorthEast. But then Major John Shagaya, Commander of the 2nd Guards Battalion was Langtang, from then Benue-Plateau State, like JN Garba].  The rumors alleging sub-regional bias aside (which probably emanated from the special Angas unit raised during the war under Lt. McDonald Gotib), Garba certainly ran a tight ship, projected a lot of professional confidence, and insisted on the very best ceremonial turnout among his soldiers. 

He was fond of personally recruiting officers and men for service in the Guards (rather than rely on the Military Secretary’s Office), as long he liked your height, bearing and drill – irrespective of your ethnic background. During NDA passing-out parades, he would show up with the express intent of picking his officers right off the parade ground. That was how my bosom friend, 2/Lt. (later Major) Garba Ismail (deceased), for example, became a Guards Officer when he graduated from NDA. 

 According to the Army web site,
 “Guards Brigade is unique in its customs and traditions. It is the only formation in the NA where Commissioned Officers carry walking stick as part of their dress regulation. Officers are allowed to wear web belt in the Mess, an exception [to] the rule in all other Messes.

The Brigade is also one of the few formations in the NA where all ranks fly plums (Green-red in colour). It is customary for all officers posted to the Brigade to be decorated with its insignia, Walking sticks, lanyards and plums on assumption of duty. Another unique feature of Guards Brigade is a very high level of proficiency in drills of all types. It has highest level of espirit-de-corps in the NA.“

 To a large extent, these traditions are a legacy of the late Major General JN Garba.  However, he was not the first Commander of the Federal Guard (later Bde of Gds). In the first four years after it was established in 1962, Lt. Col. Wellington U Bassey, Major David S Ogunewe, Captain Mobolaji Johnson, Captain Frank Obioha, Major Donatus O. Okafor, and Major B. Ochei all had the privilege of leading it. 
 
As of July 1975, with all of its enhancements, General Gowon held the view, for good reason, therefore, that a military rebellion against him could only succeed if the Brigade of Guards was compromised.  Indeed, this had been the case with the violent coups against Prime Minister Balewa and General Ironsi in 1966. 

The Presidential Guards Brigade is an elite brigade of the Nigerian Army responsible for protecting the President of Nigeria. The members of the brigade are a group of Nigerian soldiers who guard the residence of the President and his guests, as well as perform ceremonial duties.

[i]COMPOSITION: It is composed of the following smaller units:
-Guards Headquarters
-3 Guards Battalion.
-7 Guards Battalion(Lungi Barracks, Maitama).
-26 Guards Battalion.
-102 Guards Battalion(Suleja).
-176 Guards Battalion(Gwagwalada).
-177 Guards Battalion (Keffi).
-Guards Brigade Medical Centre (Yakubu Gowon Barracks, Mambilla, Asokoro)

HISTORY:
The Presidential Guard Brigade of the Nigerian Army was formed in September 1962 as the Federal Guards. It was created for the purpose of carrying out ceremonial and security duties.

in Lagos and Abuja similar to the role of the British Household Division in London.In May 1966, Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, who was the leader of the Nigerian military junta, renamed the Federal Guards to the National Guards.

The soldiers who killed Ironsi on 29 July 1966, were drawn from the National Guards unit in Lagos. This operation lead to significant controversy over the area of responsibility and chain of command within the brigade.

CHRONICLE OF COMMAND SO FAR:
-1). Brigadier Wellington Duke Bassey (September 1962–1968).
-2). Colonel Joseph Nanven Garba (1968–February 1976).
-3). Brigadier Mamman Jiya Vatsa (February 1976–1979).
-4). Colonel Mohammed Kaliel (1981–1984).
-5). Lieutenant Colonel Abdulazeez Sabo Aliyu (1984–1985).
-6). Brigadier General Bashir Salihi Magashi (1993–1996).
-7). Major General Babagana Monguno (August 2007–January 2009).
-8 ). Major General Musa Sani Yusuf (2014–2018).
-9). Brigadier General Umar Thomas Musa (2018–4 August 2019).
-10). Brigadier General Muhammed Takuti Usman (4 August 2019–20 January 2023).
-11). Brigadier General Aminu Umar (since 20 January 2023)

PROTECTIVE DUTIES:
The Guards Brigade provides security for the following individuals in the Nigerian presidential line of succession and with relevance to the President: the President of Nigeria, First Lady of Nigeria, Vice President of Nigeria, President of Senate, Speaker House of Representatives and Chief Justice of Nigeria
It works with the Nigeria Police Force in securing any area in the Federal Capital Territory.

CEREMONIAL FUNCTIONS:
Members of the brigade stand at the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock and also raise and lower the national flag at ceremonies and parades. The brigade holds a weekly changing of the guard ceremony outside Aso Villa.

 It also mounts the guard of honor on behalf of the Nigerian Armed Forces during national events such as the Armed Forces Day festivities and the national Independence Day Parade.

It has also mounted the guard of honor during state arrival ceremonies for foreign dignitaries who undertake state visits to Abuja. Dignitaries who have inspected the brigade while on state visits included; President Jimmy Carter, Dmitry Medvedev, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Jacob Zuma.

Brigade of Guards Parade for Visiting President Jimmy Carter in 1978 @ State House Ikoyi South-West Lagos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGZmrX9fziE

Regular performances also took place at occasions when foreign ambassadors presented their diplomatic credentials to the President, as well as during the official arrival and departure of the State President from various cities, especially those cities in which his official residences were situated.

Regimental dinner:
The brigade holds an annual regimental dinner at the brigade's mess hall (nicknamed Scorpion Mess) of the Brigade of Guards. It is usually held at the end of the year and takes place annually. As per protocol, the semi-formal green mess dress uniform is usually worn by officers and personnel on this occasion. ...

Sports competition:
The Guards Brigade Sporting Competition is held annually by the brigade as an inter-unit tournament of sports such as: football, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, boxing, judo, taekwondo, and a combat relay race. All the units under command always participate in these sporting events.

 “Guards Brigade is unique in its customs and traditions. It is the only formation in the NA where Commissioned Officers carry walking stick as part of their dress regulation. Officers are allowed to wear web belt in the Mess, an exception [to] the rule in all other Messes.

The Brigade is also one of the few formations in the NA where all ranks fly plums (Green-red in colour). It is customary for all officers posted to the Brigade to be decorated with its insignia, Walking sticks, lanyards and plums on assumption of duty. Another unique feature of Guards Brigade is a very high level of proficiency in drills of all types. It has highest level of espirit-de-corps in the NA.“

 To a large extent, these traditions are a legacy of the late Major General JN Garba.  However, he was not the first Commander of the Federal Guard (later Bde of Gds). In the first four years after it was established in 1962, Lt. Col. Wellington U Bassey, Major David S Ogunewe, Captain Mobolaji Johnson, Captain Frank Obioha, Major Donatus O. Okafor, and Major B. Ochei all had the privilege of leading it. 

Racoon:
I also wish to ask if the Glover "hausas" Army ended up being involved in the formation of the then Guards Brigade( now Brigade of Guards)?.

Horus:
Nigerian Soldiers in Military Parade

Racoon:
This is one unit of the Nigerian Army I loved so much.
This elite unit was being commanded by Colonel Bello Kaliel when my dad served the army.

@naptu2 can you kindly help sir.

seguno2:


Nice work on our history.

If only we care more about our history, we wouldn’t be thinking of voting for a druggie rogue as president to continue APC’s policies of failure. Would we