An haifi Garba Duba a shekara ta ( 1942), Ya yi karatu a Kontagora Primary School Kaduna (1951zuwa1954), da kuma Lardi, Bida, Jihar Neja (1956zuwa1962), Ya shiga aikin sojan Najeriya ne a matsayin jami’in kadet, inda ya shiga makarantar horas da sojoji ta Najeriya a ranar (10), ga watan Disamba a shekara ta (1962), Daya daga cikin abokan karatunsa da kuma abokan aikin soja shi ne Ibrahim Babangida wanda ya auri ‘yar uwan ​​Duba Maryam a watan Satumba a shekara ta ( 1969), Daga baya ya halarci makarantar horar da sojoji ta Indiya. An nada shi ADC a matsayin Gwamnan Soja na tsohon yankin Arewa. Garba Duba yana daya daga cikin hafsan arewa da suka taka rawa wajen yaki da juyin mulkin Najeriya a shekara ta (1966), wanda ya kai ga kashe shugaban kasa, Janar Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi daga nan kuma Janar Yakubu Gowon ya hau mulki. A matsayinsa na Kyaftin, ya yi aiki a yakin basasar Najeriya (1967 zuwa1970), yana jagorantar tawagar motocin sulke.