Great discontent was brewing in the army's ranks: in the last two years Tombalbaye's action had become more and more erratic, and in 1973 he had thrown in jail the FAT's commander-general Félix Malloum. It was another purge in the army, in which Tombalbaye had arrested the commanders of the gendarmerie (the military police), that triggered the 1975 coup: on the morning of 13 April units of the gendarmerie attacked the Presidential Palace.
The army was experiencing growing discontent due to Tombalbaye's erratic actions over the past two years. In 1973, he imprisoned the commander-general of the FAT, Félix Malloum. This led to another purge within the army, where Tombalbaye arrested the gendarmerie commanders, which ultimately triggered the coup in 1975.