Strange phone calls and all manners of theats, characteristic of the unrepentant dictator, are being directed at the family of the late Gen. Mamman Vatsa in their unrelenting effort to bring General Ibrahim Babangida to book for the killing of Vatsa for an alleged phantom coup in the 1980s.
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| •Safina Vatsa Photo: Sun News Publishing |
One of the callers allegedly told them: "A stubborn fly follows the corpse to the grave."
Speaking exclusively to Sunday Sun at the weekend, Vatsa's son, Jubrin, said "Ever since we started this campaign to get justice on the killing of our dad, we have been receiving death threat on our telephones endlessly from unknown persons. To reinforce their determination to eliminate us, their messages have been the same: 'A stubborn fly always follows the corpse to the grave. We did it to your father, we are ready to do it to you.'"
The Vatsa family has been embroiled in some controversy lately following their crusade for a revisit of their father’s case. General Vatsa was executed in 1986 by the Babangida regime over alleged coup plot.
But in an interview with a news magazine two months ago, General Domkat Bali, Defense Minister under General Ibrahim Babangida, stated that Vatsa was sentenced based on mere circumstantial evidence, seemingly adding a considerable weight to the age-old advocacy of the Vatsa family.
Ironically, Babangida was Vatsa’s best man at his wedding to Safiya in the 70s.
Commenting on the controversy last weekend, Babangida said he has no regrets over the execution of Vatsa, insisting that due process was followed.
His words: "I’m happy that Vatsa had been my friend for the whole of his existence and I still cherish the bond that was built between both families which is why I do not think it is proper for me to start joining issues that would create permanent enmity between both families.
"You see many people who have commented on that issue have been dealing with it as if the lives of the others in the group were not as important as his (Vatsa’s). I tell you gentlemen there was no way I could have released him on the basis that he was my friend and leave the others to be executed. Every life is important because it is from God and we would give account one day."
But on claims by the one-time military president that the late Vatsa had wanted to escape from detention through the hole of an air conditioner in a detention camp, prompting his relocation to a more secure prison facility in 1986, Jubrin dismissed it as cheap lie that could not hold any water:
"Look, the possibility of his attempting to escape is not there. Where he was detained at 7 Cameron Road, Ikoyi in Lagos before he was eventually moved to 32 Rumens Road before he was finally executed, the area
was condoned off by more than 20 to 30 armed soldiers drawn from the dreaded Directorate of Military Intelligence with stern instructions. "Therefore, the claim of plotting to escape through an air conditioner hole does not make sense, except if there was a conspiracy by the soldiers on guard to allow him escape and shoot him in the process."
Jubrin said that the family was yet to report the alleged threat to the police, but would do so if the faceless callers continue calling.
He, however, averred that the family was not afraid of anybody, adding that the battle to get justice over the unjust killing of innocent people in the name of power has just started.
By this current campaign, the Vatsas, according to him, are not out to score political points with anybody, "What we are after is nothing but justice. Justice is justice, there is no other name to it, it might be long, what cannot be changed is justice. It can only be delayed."
He described as uncharitable for anybody, including Babangida, to say that the children of Gen Vatsa were kids when he was killed:
"He (Babangida) can't tell us that we were small, small boys who knew nothing about our father's death.
"Believe it, my sister usually visited him, I mean my dad while he was in detention. The truth is that we knew more than he thinks he can hide on the circumstances of the death of our father. This was a man he shared most of his life with."
Speaking exclusively to Sunday Sun at the weekend, Vatsa's son, Jubrin, said "Ever since we started this campaign to get justice on the killing of our dad, we have been receiving death threat on our telephones endlessly from unknown persons. To reinforce their determination to eliminate us, their messages have been the same: 'A stubborn fly always follows the corpse to the grave. We did it to your father, we are ready to do it to you.'"
The Vatsa family has been embroiled in some controversy lately following their crusade for a revisit of their father’s case. General Vatsa was executed in 1986 by the Babangida regime over alleged coup plot.
But in an interview with a news magazine two months ago, General Domkat Bali, Defense Minister under General Ibrahim Babangida, stated that Vatsa was sentenced based on mere circumstantial evidence, seemingly adding a considerable weight to the age-old advocacy of the Vatsa family.
Ironically, Babangida was Vatsa’s best man at his wedding to Safiya in the 70s.
Commenting on the controversy last weekend, Babangida said he has no regrets over the execution of Vatsa, insisting that due process was followed.
His words: "I’m happy that Vatsa had been my friend for the whole of his existence and I still cherish the bond that was built between both families which is why I do not think it is proper for me to start joining issues that would create permanent enmity between both families.
"You see many people who have commented on that issue have been dealing with it as if the lives of the others in the group were not as important as his (Vatsa’s). I tell you gentlemen there was no way I could have released him on the basis that he was my friend and leave the others to be executed. Every life is important because it is from God and we would give account one day."
But on claims by the one-time military president that the late Vatsa had wanted to escape from detention through the hole of an air conditioner in a detention camp, prompting his relocation to a more secure prison facility in 1986, Jubrin dismissed it as cheap lie that could not hold any water:
"Look, the possibility of his attempting to escape is not there. Where he was detained at 7 Cameron Road, Ikoyi in Lagos before he was eventually moved to 32 Rumens Road before he was finally executed, the area
was condoned off by more than 20 to 30 armed soldiers drawn from the dreaded Directorate of Military Intelligence with stern instructions. "Therefore, the claim of plotting to escape through an air conditioner hole does not make sense, except if there was a conspiracy by the soldiers on guard to allow him escape and shoot him in the process."
Jubrin said that the family was yet to report the alleged threat to the police, but would do so if the faceless callers continue calling.
He, however, averred that the family was not afraid of anybody, adding that the battle to get justice over the unjust killing of innocent people in the name of power has just started.
By this current campaign, the Vatsas, according to him, are not out to score political points with anybody, "What we are after is nothing but justice. Justice is justice, there is no other name to it, it might be long, what cannot be changed is justice. It can only be delayed."
He described as uncharitable for anybody, including Babangida, to say that the children of Gen Vatsa were kids when he was killed:
"He (Babangida) can't tell us that we were small, small boys who knew nothing about our father's death.
"Believe it, my sister usually visited him, I mean my dad while he was in detention. The truth is that we knew more than he thinks he can hide on the circumstances of the death of our father. This was a man he shared most of his life with."
