Brigadier General Muhammed was soon appointed as Minister of Communications by the Yakubu Gowon regime and took Akinsehinwa along with him as a personnel staff officer and technical assistant.

On July 29, 1975, General Muhammed was made head of state (succeeding Gowon) by younger soldiers who wanted to ensure Nigeria's return to democratic rule.

In a short time, Muhammed's policies won him broad popular support, and his decisiveness elevated him to the status of a national hero.

The coup plotters unleashed a hail of bullets on Muhammed's black Mercedes Benz limousine (not bulletproof) killing him instantly.

Akintunde Akinsehinwa at 31 years of age thus became the first aide-de-camp to die in the line of duty while serving a Nigerian head of state.