The family of the late former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Gen. Mamman Vatsa, who was executed by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s military regime, has sought for a befitting military burial and the restoration of his rank as a general in the Nigerian Army.

Vatsa was alleged to have plotted a coup against the Babangida-led military administration in 1985 and was executed by firing squad in March 1986, alongside other alleged coup plotters, after a controversial military tribunal trial that found him guilty.

However, his execution remains a subject of debate, with some believing he was a victim of political power struggles rather than an actual coup conspirator.

Vatsa and Babangida, both natives of Niger State, were childhood friends and confidants.

In his autobiography, ‘A Journey in Service’, Babangida detailed the events leading up to Vatsa’s execution, insisting that he was guilty of a coup.

Babangida stated that despite their long-standing friendship, the consequences of the coup attempt by Vatsa left no room for leniency.

“Above all, everyone who had signed on to a military career understood clearly what it meant to plan a coup and fail. The penalty was clear and unmistakable.

“Vatsa’s death was a personal loss of a childhood friend. As a human being, I was somewhat depressed to watch him die in such circumstances. However, the nation’s stability and the cohesion of the armed forces were too high on the scale of priorities to be sacrificed for personal considerations,” he said.

However, the Vatsa family faulted Babangida’s claim, noting that his book was full of deceit and distorted facts.

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the spokesperson for the family, Jonathan Vatsa, said no amount of compensation would bring relief to the family over the late general’s death.

However, Jonathan said the only compensation that would gladden the family was the restoration of Vatsa’s rank as a military general.

He also asked President Bola Tinubu to give Vatsa a full military burial.

Jonathan said, “There is no amount of compensation that would bring Vatsa back to life. If Vatsa is not alive and all of us have survived, how much would you give as compensation?

“If there is anything we are looking for, not from Babangida, but from President Bola Tinubu, it is to clean the dirty name Babangida has rubbed on Vatsa, exhume his body, and give him a full military burial. If those things are done for us, I’m telling you, we will all be happy.

“That is the compensation we are looking for, now that the truth has come out that Vatsa was innocent. Based on the available facts and what Domkat Bali has said, Vatsa’s rank should be restored, and he should be given a full military burial. His name should be removed from the tainted list he was placed on.”

Similarly, a journalist who was incarcerated during the Babangida regime, Senator Babafemi Ojodu, stated that Chief MKO Abiola’s family deserved compensation, particularly over the assassination of his wife, Kudirat, who was killed for protesting the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

Among the other atrocities committed by Babangida’s regime was the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, won by Abiola of the Social Democratic Party.

The controversial decision sparked nationwide protests, leading to violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

Reports indicate that no fewer than 100 Nigerians were killed in the unrest that followed.

But Babangida, in his autobiography, said his then Chief of Defence Staff, Sani Abacha, who would later seize power and rule as military head of state, was responsible for the annulment.

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, Ojodu called for reparations for those who lost their lives or suffered in the pro-democracy struggle, including media organisations that were shut down by the regime.

Ojodu also advocated collective legal action, urging human rights lawyer Femi Falana to lead a class-action lawsuit against the government.

He noted that President Tinubu was a key figure in the June 12 struggle and should take responsibility for ensuring that victims receive justice.

“Everybody who can be identified to have died at that time because of that incident should be compensated. The media houses whose products were seized and whose media houses were shut down should be compensated as well.

“Everyone who suffered in the process of the struggle should also be adequately compensated. We protested the annulment, and some of us were detained, accused of treason, and treated like criminals. Having read Babangida’s confession in his book, every one of us who went through that experience should be compensated one way or the other.

“Interestingly, one of the victims of that struggle is today the president. He (Tinubu) should be ready to take action to pay reparation to the Abiola family and compensate all of us who are victims of that incident.

“I think Mr. Falana should go beyond himself alone and let us have a class-action suit. All of those who are victims should collectively sue the government,” Ojodu said.

Another journalist, Niran Malaolu, who was also imprisoned by Babangida’s regime, accused the ex-general of inflicting trauma on Nigerians for personal gain.

He criticised Babangida for failing to acknowledge or apologise for his actions in his book, arguing that the lack of consequences for such abuses devalues Nigerian lives.

Malaolu insisted that Abiola must be officially recognised as president, while Babangida should take full responsibility for the June 12 annulment rather than shifting the blame to Abacha.

He called on victims of Babangida’s regime to seek legal redress, arguing that he committed treason against Nigerians by annulling a democratic election.

According to him, Babangida’s actions set a dangerous precedent where those in power could undermine democracy without facing consequences.

The journalist said, “Babangida should be made to face the consequences of his actions because somebody else will come tomorrow and do the same thing and nothing will be done.

“He (Babangida) did not even apologise in the book. He did not apologise for his disservice to democracy and humanity. People died, and some were traumatised. I was imprisoned. If there are no consequences for his (Babangida’s) actions, then there is no value for the lives of the citizens.

“Babangida should also stop shifting the blame for his actions on Sani Abacha. He must take full responsibility. The laws are there. All the victims should sue Babangida. Let us all go to court and ensure that he is brought to justice because he committed treason against the people of Nigeria.

“Nigerians did their civic duty to vote, and a single individual annulled the result of that election. That is treason against Nigerians, and he should be prosecuted for this.”

additional report from punch