President Olusegun Obasanjo, fearful of confronting former ruler, Ibrahim Babangida, over alleged wrongful killing of General Mamman Vatsa, has told Mrs. Safiya Vatsa she will only receive financial compensation. Obasanjo wrote: “Finally, in matters like this, God is the ultimate arbiter and as believers, we must therefore feel encouraged to turn over all that has happened to Him... ."
Sunday Tribune reports that Safiya was told by the President she should drag former military dictator General Babangida and others in the regime she claimed killed her husband unjustly to God, because her request would cause an unending legal tangle.
The President’s letter was entitled “Re-Request for Very Important Urgent Security Meeting: Late Gen. Mamman Vatsa Demand of the Widow - Chief (Mrs.) Safiya Mamman Yiya Vatsa and Children.”
The letter reads: “I write to thank you most sincerely for your courtesy call on me, during which you presented some demands on your behalf and that of your children.
“I have gone through each of the demands you made regarding your late husband. The demand include payment of his outstanding entitlements, compensation for his illegal killing, and the return of his seized assets. You also demanded the exhumation of his body and its return to the family for full military burial.
“Each of these demands, considered from the point of view of an aggrieved spouse wishing to redeem the image of her late husband, is a legitimate and understandable endeavour.
“You will however agree with me that the demands have to be considered within the context of the existing legal order of the time, overriding public policy and national interest.
“For instance, re-opening this matter now will give rise to a conundrum of legal issues which may be difficult to resolve definitely.
“Meeting demands such as these will no doubt re-open old wounds arising after a period of over twenty years and would therefore negate the current efforts of national reconciliation and forgiveness.
“In addition to his contribution to various areas of national life, your late husband made invaluable contributions to the development of Abuja as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“Government will therefore consider any measure to ensure that his contribution is not forgotten. “For a start, since forfeiture of assets is not part of the prescribed punishment for coup plotting, government may consider your request for the return of your husband’s seized assets in due course.
“You can therefore assist government to achieve this objective by forwarding a list of such assets to aid further action in this regard. “Finally, in matters like this, God is the ultimate arbiter and as believers, we must therefore feel encouraged to turn over all that has happened to Him, trusting in His infinite capacity to provide solutions to all problems.”
Our sister publication, the Nigerian Tribune, had exclusively reported that Safiya’s petition was transferred to the Ministry of Justice for legal advice by the Department of State Security Service (SSS) after the latter had concluded preliminary investigations on the issues raised in the petition.
The ministry was expected to return the matter to the SSS for a final probe, before final decision would be taken on the ways to address the controversial claims made by Safiya and her children against Gen. Babangida and his regime.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), was reportedly abroad during the referral to the ministry and the package from the SSS was said to have been received by the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Professor Ignatius Ayera.
With no denial from any quarters on the exclusive referral story, General Babangida’s camp reportedly contacted top Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) in readiness for a possible prosecution over the matter.
Safiya was accused by the Babangida’s group of being a tool in the hands of some powerful forces, including the Presidency, who were desirous of stopping Babangida from participating in the presidential election in 2007.
President Obasanjo is believed not to be disposed to the idea of having Babangida as a successor. A governor from the North-West, who is believed to be eyeing the presidency, is being alleged by the Babangida’s camp as the mastermind of Safiya’s protest on the killing of her husband.
The Babangida camp had called for the prosecution of all past military leaders, including the incumbent president, should the federal government decide to try Babangida over Vatsa’s execution.
