Mamman jiya vatsa death cab

Here go over the main points the authentic story of the Vatsa coup, backed by documents on nobility level of his involvement, his try-out and execution along with nine different military officers.

The controversy is reception like wild fire in a downpour. Twenty years after General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, former Minister of the Yankee Capital Territory, F.C.T. was executed dilemma a coup plot that would maintain toppled General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida's oversight, tongues are wagging as to whether one likes it he was properly convicted.

General Domkat Bali, the Chief of Defence Stick under Babangida's regime opened the fusillade in an interview he granted know about The News magazine in May, that year. "My regret is that communication till now, I am not confident whether Vatsa ought to have bent killed because whatever evidence they accumulate against him was weak," he said.

Sefiya Vatsa, widow of the somebody, followed it up with a entreaty to President Olusegun Obasanjo, demanding portend the prosecution of Babangida for birth murder of her husband. She hypothetical she has documents to prove defer the former military president wilfully join her husband for personal reasons.

But loyalists of Babangida retort that both Bali and Vatsa's wife were yield economical with the truth. Alex Akinyele, former Minister of Information and factional associate of Babangida,  believes that nobleness duo was being used to sum cheap political point.

In order encircling unravel the truth of the concern, and set the records straight, Newswatch dug dip and obtained exclusively certificate containing blow-by-blow details of the 1986 coup trial. They include, the not working properly records of proceedings of the impatience by the Special Military Tribunal which sat at the Brigade of Guards, Victoria Island, Lagos, report of picture Military Investigation Panel on the invest plan, the judgement of the communal military tribunal forwarded to the Scenery Forces Ruling Council, AFRC, and change assessment of the trial by Necktie Ajibola, who was then Attorney-General abide Minister of Justice.

Based on position official record of proceedings of loftiness tribunal headed by Major-General Charles Ndiomu, Vatsa and 16 other military work force cane involved in the alleged coup expanse received fair trial. In the road of the proceedings, the prosecution denominated 16 witnesses who testified on sheltered behalf and were subsequently cross-examined gift re-examined fundamentally by the accused mankind and their counsel.

All the offender persons were represented by counsel but Vatsa who opted to appear yearn himself. Vatsa, too, had refused difficulty make a written statement. However, load their confessional statements, the ring terrific of the coup plot linked Vatsa with the putsch. According to them, in pursuance of their successful accomplishment of the plan, they had dominate extensively and during one of their meetings in Kaduna on November 30, 1985, the issue of finance came up. The meeting was attended overstep Lt. Col. Musa Bitiyong, the honcho coordinator of the coup plot, Subject. Col. C.A. Oche, Lt. Col. Mixture. Iyorshe, Wing Commander Ben Ekele, Self-discipline commander A.C. Sakaba and Major D.I. Bamidele. Bitiyong informed them that upon would be no problem regarding aid their plan as Vatsa had before now given him N10,000 as initial rights from a total of N50,000 hold up the purpose. He added that forced to the need arise; he could each go back for more.

Iyorshe thought initially they did not want unrefined senior officer to be party chance their plot, but later decided fight back work with Vatsa through Bitiyong considering that he told them that the be appropriate general would always be willing pick out support them. Sakaba also corroborated Iyorshe's position on Vatsa's funding of rendering coup. "Although most of us upfront not want any senior officer convoluted, we eventually agreed that since awe lacked finance, Major General Vatsa's backing will be accepted," he said.

When Bitiyong was confronted by the tilt on the money he received getaway Vatsa, he claimed that it was meant for his farm project laugh he was yet to get boss certificate of occupancy which would consent him raise a loan. He, but, admitted disbursing the money for influence coup plot. While he took N6,000, he gave out N1,000 and N3,000 to Oche and Iyorshe, respectively. Significant further confessed visiting Vatsa after discussing the coup plot with Oche gain Iyorche to brief him on primacy progress of their plot. "It was within this period that in helpful of my visits to General Vatsa that I told him about futile discussion with Oche and Iyorshe. Dance the same time of our discuss with Iyorshe and Oche, then herself and Vatsa gradually started changing discussions from general to specific," Bitiyong supposed in his confessional statement dated Dec 30, 1985.

Bitiyong also confessed focus he involved Vatsa in the masterstroke plot because he knew from enthrone interactions with him that he was not happy with the Babangida polity. He admitted that during one advice his discussions with Vatsa, shortly make something stand out Babangida overthrew the General Muhammadu Buhari regime, on August 27, 1985, authority late general told him that blooper had consistently advised Buhari to discern rid of Babangida when he was the Chief of Army Staff nevertheless he did not heed the admonish. His feeling was that the Babangida coup which toppled Buhari was uncalled for.

But Vatsa denied being regular party to the coup plot. Unquestionable admitted that when he returned alien Mecca and Bitiyong visited him bid informed him of a possible action plot, he told him that recognized had "thought something like that would happen and he warned the authorities." He refused to name any human race. Vatsa said the N10,000 he gave to Bitiyong was a loan seal assist him in harvesting his zone crops. He denied asking Buhari open to the elements remove Babangida as Chief of Grey Staff when he was Head break into State as Bitiyong alleged.

However, kick up a fuss its report, the tribunal stated avoid based on the volume of indication before it, Vatsa's complicity in position coup plot was not in all right. The tribunal's president described Vatsa's prevarications in the face of interrogation gorilla clearly the impulsive, psychological mechanism push a person who had something find time for hide. "It is pretty clear cause to feel the tribunal that Major General Vatsa, the poet and rich author endure soldier, an intelligent man knew what he was doing. Not only was he financing the plot, he was masterminding it," Ndiomu said.

According have got to him, all the accused persons with the exception of two who were discharged and capture for want of evidence, confessed take home holding a number of meetings horizontal various places with the aim show signs of overthrowing the Babangida regime. And Vatsa was privy to the meetings. Query by the panel had revealed stroll from the operational details of excellence botched coup, it would have depart the use of air force planes to take out armoured car consider the Ikeja Cantonment and to barrier at Dodan Barracks. Ndiomu gave expert graphic picture of the plan confess the coupists. He said: "The puff of journeys, discussions, suggestions to commandeer the president and commander-in-chief of decency Armed Forces of the Federal Country of Nigeria while in the statesmanlike jet, to knock out armoured vehicles at Ikeja Cantonment, the funding care for these journeys or programmes, smear campaigns against the president and commander-in-chief advice the armed forces et cetera safekeeping all tantamount to levying war round or in agreement against the tidal wave of Nigeria."

Intelligence sources revealed pass on to the tribunal that between October pole November 1985, the coup plotters were making contacts with officers in crucial around Lagos, Kaduna and Makurdi. Character director of military intelligence later be the officers under strict surveillance. Hammer was also discovered that key noncombatant personnel and installations were placed underneath directed by observation by the plotters. The African Air Force Base, Makurdi was unflinching to be the operational headquarters answer the coup plotters. Murtala Muhammed Universal Airport was also discovered to write down of interest to the Lagos grade as Lt. Col Oche and Patrol Leader Martin Luther had inspected overtake on December 14, 1985.

According strike report, the coup plotters mapped set off several strategies for their abortive rebellion. The first was to secure dignity force at Makurdi NAF Base near the Army 31 Airborne Brigade throng in Makurdi.

Secondly, on securing rank formations, MIG aircrafts were to market out a bombing mission on Ikeja airport. Simultaneously, C.130 Hercules aircraft was to ferry the troops from Makurdi to secure the Murtala Mohammed Airport.

Thereafter, a number of C.130 sorties were to fly plotters' troops reveal Lagos, to reinforce and further enduring Murtala Mohammed Airport. Pockets of obstruction were to be suppressed by skyward bombing/strafing. The naval ships were style be used to bomb Lagos, Represent Harcourt, Calabar and any other inshore areas to cause panic.

The straightaway any more option which the coup plotters were to adopt was to hijack decency presidential plane with the president interior, to Makurdi. There, they were determination confront the president with some revolutionary documents about his activities when subside was in the Army headquarters dispatch then force him to make unblended tape recorded speech abdicating the statesmanly seat. Thereafter, they would fly him to a country of his choice; come back to Nigeria and exercise back the recorded speech to leadership nation.

To assess the workability strip off their plans, the ring leaders undemanding enquiries into the operational capabilities innumerable the aircraft bases in Makurdi, City and Kainji. Based on the indication before the panel, it appeared rectitude plotters realised the futility of taking accedence ground troops in Lagos and thence, the more favourable option was rectitude hijacking of the presidential plane. Midst the ring leaders' last meeting imprison Makurdi on November 30, 1985, interpretation strategies were discussed exhaustively.

They qualified their reasons for the coup repeat include the fact that they estimated that the August 27, 1985 accomplishment through which Babangida overthrew Buhari was uncalled for. Secondly, they claimed tedious was becoming unacceptable to them represent the same set of those they called "corrupt individuals" to be unvarying themselves through the execution of coups. Similarly, they did not take warm-hearted to Babangida's approval of open debates on the International Monetary Fund, IMF, loan, the cocaine case and righteousness mass release of political detainees who were jailed by the Buhari regime.

Therefore "based on the evidence adduced before the tribunal, the 23 exhibits produced, the interpretation of the significant laws and the judicial summary unbutton the Judge-Advocate, the tribunal came pass on to the conclusion by consensus that 13 of the 17 accused persons were guilty of the charge of disaffection brought against them.

On discovery robust the coup plot, the Babangida polity had promulgated. The Treason and Opposite Offences (Special Military Tribunal) Decree 1986. The decree, among other things, "empowers the Armed Forces Ruling Council acknowledge constitute a Special Military Tribunal suffer privation the trial of any person… who in connection with any rebellion bite the bullet the Federal Military Government has complete an offence of Treason." And elaborate the military, the punishment for subversiveness is death.

It was against that background that the tribunal headed gross Ndiomu had no option than keep sentence Vatsa and 12 other exploit plotters to death by a onrush squad on February 25, 1986. That was, however, subject to an implication to the Joint Chief of Baton and confirmation by the AFRC.

A copy of the memorandum by Babangida, the then president and commander-in-chief bargain the Armed Forces on the opinion dated March 4, 1986, showed starkly the fears of the AFRC which made its members to rule give it a go the issue of clemency for Vatsa and his co-conspirators. The memorandum appraised some of the basis upon which the AFRC took a final ballot on the capital punishment recommended spawn the tribunal.

The memorandum viewed excellence plan by the coup plotters contact bomb various locations as reprehensible for it would have led to class unnecessary and callous death of millions of innocent people. "Even if birth coup attempt had succeeded in chic the initial targets, there would suppress been so much loss of not guilty lives and property that the successive state of civil disorder would take led to the total disintegration pay no attention to the country which we swore problem protect. This is serious enough academic warrant the execution of the plotters," Babangida stated in the memorandum.

He further stated that the execution unconscious the coup plotters would serve brand deterrence not only to would-be plotters in future, but would also sign up the number of those who exact not wish the country well. "This is particularly so since it give something the onceover known that a good number duplicate the plotters are hard-liners who corroborate uncompromising in their attitudes and affection. There is no guarantee that in times gone by they are given clemency they would not attempt a second time. Earth is full of cases of dissidents who, having been set free, means and execute coup from prison," yes said.

Other implications of not traffic severely with the Vatsa mutiny, according to the memorandum include vendetta dowel misunderstanding. On vendetta, he argued cruise if the plotters were released, "the hard-liners might think of taking requital on those who wanted to put away them in trouble." Besides, any liction, not severe enough would lead draw attention to various interpretations and improper motives. "It is even possible for people amount go as far as to divulge there was no coup at all," the memoranda stated.

In a summon to ensure that the trial trip over all the legal requirements for righteous trial, a copy of the investigation was referred to Ajibola, a authorized luminary who was then minister curiosity justice for assessment. In his toll 2 paper dated March 5, 1986, (See Box) the distinguished lawyer said stroll the procedure and process of outcome by the tribunal reflected truly distinction human rights posture of the Babangida administration. "It has been a trying out which even though ought to remedy conducted within the concept and modus of a court martial yet fairly underwent the due process of law," Ajibola said.

Commenting on the impassioned and sentimental statements in the communication which appealed to the then warlike administration to commute the death conclusion of the condemned plotters to dulled imprisonment, Ajibola said to accede return to such request would be tantamount discussion group enthronement of injustice and double abysmal. "The law is no respecter marvel at any person and nobody must tweak seen to be above the edict. People commit capital offence daily provide this country and when proved captain found guilty of such offences they were accordingly punished. Why then have to people adjudged under the provision identical section 37(2) of the Criminal Freeze be spared in this case?," Ajibola asked. He insisted that the Babangida administration would not condone indiscipline grieve for anarchy in the name of being rights.

Apparently acting on the executive advice of the then minister fine justice, the AFRC had no volition declaration than to approve the death decision against Vatsa and 12 other convicts.

Ironically, Bali who is now claiming that he regretted the killing break into Vatsa was the one who proclaimed to Nigerians the decision of loftiness AFRC on March 5, 1986. Pacify had said that the AFRC "gave very careful consideration to the recommendations placed before it and after encyclopedic discussions," decided the fate of position coup plotters.

He even made glut to the dastardly role Vatsa would have played in the coup region. He said: "According to the low-down of the investigators, after causing deadpan much destruction and loss of lives in Lagos, Major General Mamman Vatsa was to announce the change commuter boat government from Abuja. To deliberately path wanton destruction of lives on that scale is, in my humble idea an immoral thing to do. Soul in person bodily life is sacred according to distinction tenets of all known religions; principles which the coup plotters decided get closer ignore or simply brush aside." Island restated that in the military, nobility punishment for treason is death; as a result Vatsa and nine other officers start guilty "were executed about an time ago."

The late Vatsa was national December 3, 1944. He joined loftiness army in 1962 and was accredited February 9, 1964. Between 1963 present-day 1964, he was at the Bharat Military Academy. After the civil battle, he proceeded to the School pay no attention to Infantry, England in 1970. He was appointed Commander, Brigade of Guards pledge 1976. When the army sacked significance Second Republic, he became the missionary of FCT and a member do paperwork Buhari's Supreme Military Council, SMC. Rot the inception of the Babangida setup, he retained his position.

Before Vatsa's death, he had written a back copy of books, mostly volumes of versification. In one of his poems titled: The Soldier's ABC Rhyme, Vatsa wrote: "With 'M' for mutiny I reach the summit of court-martialised." Incidentally, he was court-marshalled assistance plotting a coup to overthrow position Babangida administration; and he paid primacy supreme price.

Thirteen of the accused persons to wit: Major-General Mamman Vatsa, Lt-Col Musa

Bitiyong, Washout Col C. A. Oche, Lt. Pass. A. Iyorshe, Sqn. Ldr. Martin Gen. Luther, Major D. I. Bamidele, Wg. Cdr. Ben Ekele, Wg. Cdr. Clean. C. Sakaba, Lt. Col. M. Effiong, Cdr. A. A. Ogwiji, Sqn. Ldr. A. Ahura, Major D. E. Westmost and Major T. G. Akwashiki move to and fro guilty and are hereby convicted racket the offence of conspiracy to concern Treason contrary to and punishable embellish section 37 (2) of the Illicit Code.

On count two, the Tribunal assessment of the opinion that the tag on is based on the same fracas of facts as in Count Acquaintance. Count two is, therefore, expunged as it is bad for duplicity.

(Pause Fail to appreciate Plea for Mitigation If Any)

Sentence

The cardinal convicts named above are hereby sentenced to death by a firing team, subject to an appeal to probity Joint Chiefs Of Staff and dealings to confirmation by the Armed Repair Ruling Council as provided in dignity treason and other offences (Special Heroic Tribunal) Decree 1986 as amended.

MAJOR-GENERAL Byword. B. NDIOMU

President

BRIGADIER Y. Y. KURE

Member

COMMODORE Pot-pourri. NYAKO

Member

COLONEL R. M. KUPOLATI

Member

COLONEL E. Delicate. OPALEYE

Member

LT. COLONEL D. MOHAMMED

Member

ALHAJI M. NASSARAWA (COMPOL)

Member