Superintendent Salifu Dagarti, the bodyguard who saved Nkrumah’s life

Superintendent Salifu Dagarti the loyal and faithful bodyguard of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was among the prominent people who played a vital role in saving Nkrumah’s life from assassinators

Salifu Dagarti the bodyguard who took a bullet that was meant for Nkrumah was born on July 1931 at Kumasi.

He was a son of a former corporal in the Gold Coast police.

He was a Ghanaian trained police officer who went through all the ranks to become a Superintendent.

He had his six months training in England and then came back to Ghana as instructor and superintendent in the Ghana police training school at Accra. Because of his selflessness and hardworking attitude,He was transferred to Osu Castle the residence of the president of Ghana as the personal bodyguard to the president of the State.

During the era of Nkrumah’s presidency, he faced a lot of challenges from his opponent and rebels that wanted to take over as the head of state of the country.

Nkrumah faced a lot of assassination attempt. Notable of them includes the kulungu bomb attempt on August 1, 1962, but Nkrumah escaped to save his life. During the Independence Day celebration in 1964 Nkrumah once again was attempted by a bomb but he was saved by then a young school girl.

On Thursday, January 2, 1964, Kwame Nkrumah plan to go to the castle for launch and other executive meetings, he was then with Supt. Salifu Dagarti. As they cross over the road towards the president’s residents, a gun shot was rang out.The shot was aimed at Nkrumah by constable Ametewee who was also a member of the security team at the castle.Salifu Dagarti collected the five bullets that meant for Nkrumah.

Constable Salifu Dagarti was rushed to 37 military Hospital but he could not survive. A medical personnel reported that; He died as a result from the bullet.

Superintendent Salifu Dagarti was given a state burial and was laid to rest at Osu Cemetery.

He died at the age of 33.