Colonel Anthony Aboki Ochefu

Military Governor of East Central State (1975–1976)

Colonel Anthony Aboki Ochefu was a Nigerian Army officer who played a notable role in the Nigerian Civil War and in the political transition that ended General Yakubu Gowon’s regime in 1975. He served briefly as Military Governor of East Central State from July 1975 to February 1976 during the short but transformative military government of General Murtala Ramat Mohammed.

Role During the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970)

During the Nigerian Civil War, Colonel Ochefu commanded a battalion tasked with clearing Biafran forces from strategic riverine areas in the Mid-Western Region. His operations reportedly included the capture of Koko, Sapele, and Warri, after which his forces advanced northwards to link up with Lt. Col. Murtala Mohammed’s 2nd Division.

His battalion was later deployed as a spearhead force in the seaborne landing and capture of Creek Town, an operation that contributed to Federal control of key coastal and riverine routes. These operations placed Ochefu among officers involved in some of the more complex amphibious and riverine campaigns of the war.

Role in the 1975 Coup

By 1975, Ochefu had risen to the position of Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army. He was one of the officers involved in planning and executing the bloodless coup of 29 July 1975, which removed General Yakubu Gowon from power.

As a Christian officer from the Middle Belt, Ochefu is credited in some accounts with helping to mobilise and coordinate Middle Belt officers in support of the coup. He reportedly played a key operational role in securing Army Headquarters at Dodan Barracks, Lagos, which was central to the success of the takeover.

Appointment as Military Governor

Following the coup, Ochefu was appointed Military Governor of East Central State, a region still recovering from the devastation of the civil war. His tenure was short-lived, lasting only a few months.

Removal from Office: Conflicting Accounts

There are conflicting historical accounts regarding the circumstances of Ochefu’s removal from office:

One account states that after the assassination of General Murtala Mohammed on 13 February 1976, the new Head of State, Lt. Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, carried out a wide-ranging purge of senior officers. Under this version, Ochefu was among 215 officers retired or dismissed, allegedly due to issues relating to his conduct as Commanding Officer of the Lagos Garrison prior to the 1975 coup.

Alternative reports, including those referenced by Idoma Voice, claim that Ochefu was actually removed earlier by General Murtala Mohammed himself and replaced as governor by Colonel Atom Kpera.

Because official military records from this period remain incomplete or inaccessible, the exact authority and timing of his removal cannot be conclusively established.

Death

Colonel Anthony Aboki Ochefu was shot dead on 25 November 1999 at a petrol station in Oturkpo, Benue State. Publicly available sources do not provide definitive details regarding the circumstances or motive behind the killing.

Legacy

Ochefu remains a controversial but significant figure in Nigerian military history, remembered for:

His operational role during the Civil War

His involvement in the 1975 change of government

His brief governorship during a critical post-war reconstruction period

Sources

Idoma Voice (article excerpts as cited by the contributor)

Nigerian Civil War operational histories (general military records and secondary historical accounts)

Nigerian military government timelines, 1966–1979