Mamman Vatsa was a soldier and a poet; a published poet in fact whose books were popular in primary schools. He was executed for leading the attempt to overthrow the government of his one time best friend ( yes best friend) and Military President Ibrahim Babangida. Why Major General Vatsa did not escape is beyond understanding.

It was on Friday December 20th 1985 that it was announced a coup to overthrow the government had been nipped in the bud. No further announcements were made that, but Vatsa was still a free man that Friday night. Infact he was a free man till Monday night when he was arrested at his Ikoyi, Lagos residence. Many people could not understand why he had not escaped out of the country.

According to his wife Sufiya, Armed men led by IBB's late ADC ( who would late be killed in the 1990 Orkar Coup) surrounded their house on Monday December 23rd and arrested the General.

The arrest of Vatsa the Minister of the Federal Capital Terrority , Abuja was not announced until a week after the coup was made public.

Ibrahim Babangida had been the best man at Mamman Vatsa’s wedding in 1960s and they had been friends most of their lives. But for some reason; Babangida had not involved Vatsa in the palace coup that overthrew the government of Mohammdu Buhari/Tunde Idiagbon. Vatsa had actually been on the Federal Government delegation to the Haji in Saudi Arabia. A delegation that was led by the strongman Major General Tunde Idiagbon. That trip according to historians had the hands of IBB in it; he did everything to ensure it was led by Idiagbon as he knew there was NO WAY Idiagbon would surrender to coupists without a gun fight.

After the IBB coup on August 27th, 1985; Vatsa waited a few days in Saudi Arabia before heading back. We may never know what he discussed with Idiagbon; but during the trial, there were allusions that Vatsa wanted to bring Buhari and Idiagbon back to power.
The trail commenced in early 1986 at a Special Military Tribunal headed by Major General Charles B. Ndiomu. One of the key points of the prosecution was a sum of N10,000 (worth probably $12,000 in 1985) given by General Vatsa to one of his fellow coupists Lt. Col. Musa Bitiyong.
At the trial,the prosecution said the money was intended to prepare for the coup; General Vasta insisted there was no coup and the money was a loan to Bitiyong to help him in his farm business.
It was also revealed that the initial meeting had held in Makuridi, Benue State and chaired by Bitiyong. Vatsa in fact did not at any time have any meeting with the other coupists.

There were many unfounded accusations including a plan by Vatsa to use aircraft to bomb Lagos to cause chaos AND to destroy Lagos, thus ensuring an immediate movement of the Federal Capital to Abuja which was then still under construction.
This was also the first and last coup that heavily involved the Air Force. All coups in Nigeria were Army affairs. Two of the accused were members of the Presidential fleet. Historians believe this made IBB to heavily punish the Air Force and cause it to loose funding and necessary equipment in subsequent years.
In March the tribunal gave its judgement and ten of the defendants were sentenced to death. Final decision laid with the Armed Forces Ruling Council ( AFRC) Whilst the Babangida administration was still extremely popular at that time and the coupist had little public support; there was a movement to appeal for mercy for Vatsa and his men.

Three popular literary icons: Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and John Pepper Clark went to Dodan Barracks; the then seat of power to appeal for mercy.
The AFRC was scheduled to meet that night 5th March 1986 to decide on the appeals for mercy.
Then at 7pm; the Minister of Defence: Major General Domkat Bali addressed the nation to state the decision of the AFRC. He restated the offence of the men and the gravity of what they had done. The speech was not beyond the ordinary until the last few seconds when he uttered these words.

“ Those sentenced to death were executed about 30 minutes ago. In the military the penalty for treason is death”

EXECUTED 30 MINUTES AGO!!!! What? Already executed? The nation was still waiting for a decision. So basically the meeting ended around 5pm and the order was given to execute; no last meal nor final goodbyes.
General Vatsa is believed to have been wearing his white buba and sokoto and requested that his Bible, wedding ring and wrist watch be given to his wife. She was not allowed to see him throughout the trial, but their daughter Fatima was able to smuggle herself in with his defense lawyers and he sent them a note with the words : “Do not beg Babangida. He is after my life. Take care of the children. I know it is not easy but God will help you.”
Mrs Vatsa claims the ring given to her was not the Generals; it had been exchanged she alleged.

Rumors were rife for years that Vatsa was never killed, but smuggled to London by IBB to save his friend. Of course that was put to rest when Mrs Vatsa took IBB to the 1999 Oputa Truth Commission accusing him of murder.

One more oddity to the whole case were the words of General Domkat Bali in an interview twenty years later to TheNews Magazine. His words : ‘“My regret is that up till now, I am not sure whether Vatsa ought to have been killed because whatever evidence they amassed against him was weak. My only regret is that I could not say, don’t do it. I am not so sure whether we were right to have killed Vatsa.”


Source: https://v7place.com/index.php?topic=604.0

one of many atrocities maradona committed

military rule was totally brutal and will never be an option again

The weight of his sins is what is holding him (IBB) down in that wheel chair.

Finally na who let another person kill am lose, no gift as precious as this life.

emperorAY:
one of many atrocities maradona committed

But the south eastern region here worship him because he denied MKO abiola presidency. They love him because he was a gateway to their drug dealings and what not. IBB oni ku re.

DiscoverID:

But the south eastern region here worship him because he denied MKO abiola presidency. They love him because he was a gateway to their drug dealings and what not. IBB oni ku re.

My friend it’s too early to be dis stupid.

DiscoverID:

But the south eastern region here worship him because he denied MKO abiola presidency. They love him because he was a gateway to their drug dealings and what not. IBB oni ku re.

Remove hate from your life and you will flourish if not u will die as a hungry and bitter lad.

DiscoverID:

But the south eastern region here worship him because he denied MKO abiola presidency. They love him because he was a gateway to their drug dealings and what not. IBB oni ku re.

he somehow avoided prosecution. until we begin to build strong institution and not strong individuals people will continue to act as they like

Wa oooo

DiscoverID:

But the south eastern region here worship him because he denied MKO abiola presidency. They love him because he was a gateway to their drug dealings and what not. IBB oni ku re.

But your anger has a cure.SUICIDE.

one of many atrocities maradona committed

What a read!

Its a mystery that IBB is still alive till this day.

DiscoverID:

But the south eastern region here worship him because he denied MKO abiola presidency. They love him because he was a gateway to their drug dealings and what not. IBB oni ku re.

So much hatred and bitterness in you. Tueh

The only clique who never succeed with military coups are the non hausa-fulanis or northern minorities(Feb.13th 1978, Dec.20 1985, April 22 1990).The only good coup in the military is the successful coup.Vasta got stinged by the same scorpion he joined-the army of sheathed daggers.

otokx:
Its a mystery that IBB is still alive till this day.

The Maradona is a highly experienced coup plotter and counter coup specialist merchant.He participated in all the successive coups ever witnessed in the annals of this nation.Guy is just a cat with nine lives.

Babangida drank blood shaa

nice story ...
babangida, oni ku re.
we forgive n forget after a long time, if not someone should kidnap ibb and give him a slow painful death with video evidence.

V7place:
Mamman Vatsa was a soldier and a poet; a published poet in fact whose books were popular in primary schools. He was executed for leading the attempt to overthrow the government of his one time best friend ( yes best friend) and Military President Ibrahim Babangida. Why Major General Vatsa did not escape is beyond understanding.

It was on Friday December 20th 1985 that it was announced a coup to overthrow the government had been nipped in the bud. No further announcements were made that, but Vatsa was still a free man that Friday night. Infact he was a free man till Monday night when he was arrested at his Ikoyi, Lagos residence. Many people could not understand why he had not escaped out of the country.

According to his wife Sufiya, Armed men led by IBB's late ADC ( who would late be killed in the 1990 Orkar Coup) surrounded their house on Monday December 23rd and arrested the General.

The arrest of Vatsa the Minister of the Federal Capital Terrority , Abuja was not announced until a week after the coup was made public.

Ibrahim Babangida had been the best man at Mamman Vatsa’s wedding in 1960s and they had been friends most of their lives. But for some reason; Babangida had not involved Vatsa in the palace coup that overthrew the government of Mohammdu Buhari/Tunde Idiagbon. Vatsa had actually been on the Federal Government delegation to the Haji in Saudi Arabia. A delegation that was led by the strongman Major General Tunde Idiagbon. That trip according to historians had the hands of IBB in it; he did everything to ensure it was led by Idiagbon as he knew there was NO WAY Idiagbon would surrender to coupists without a gun fight.

After the IBB coup on August 27th, 1985; Vatsa waited a few days in Saudi Arabia before heading back. We may never know what he discussed with Idiagbon; but during the trial, there were allusions that Vatsa wanted to bring Buhari and Idiagbon back to power.
The trail commenced in early 1986 at a Special Military Tribunal headed by Major General Charles B. Ndiomu. One of the key points of the prosecution was a sum of N10,000 (worth probably $12,000 in 1985) given by General Vatsa to one of his fellow coupists Lt. Col. Musa Bitiyong.
At the trial,the prosecution said the money was intended to prepare for the coup; General Vasta insisted there was no coup and the money was a loan to Bitiyong to help him in his farm business.
It was also revealed that the initial meeting had held in Makuridi, Benue State and chaired by Bitiyong. Vatsa in fact did not at any time have any meeting with the other coupists.

There were many unfounded accusations including a plan by Vatsa to use aircraft to bomb Lagos to cause chaos AND to destroy Lagos, thus ensuring an immediate movement of the Federal Capital to Abuja which was then still under construction.
This was also the first and last coup that heavily involved the Air Force. All coups in Nigeria were Army affairs. Two of the accused were members of the Presidential fleet. Historians believe this made IBB to heavily punish the Air Force and cause it to loose funding and necessary equipment in subsequent years.
In March the tribunal gave its judgement and ten of the defendants were sentenced to death. Final decision laid with the Armed Forces Ruling Council ( AFRC) Whilst the Babangida administration was still extremely popular at that time and the coupist had little public support; there was a movement to appeal for mercy for Vatsa and his men.

Three popular literary icons: Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe and John Pepper Clark went to Dodan Barracks; the then seat of power to appeal for mercy.
The AFRC was scheduled to meet that night 5th March 1986 to decide on the appeals for mercy.
Then at 7pm; the Minister of Defence: Major General Domkat Bali addressed the nation to state the decision of the AFRC. He restated the offence of the men and the gravity of what they had done. The speech was not beyond the ordinary until the last few seconds when he uttered these words.

“ Those sentenced to death were executed about 30 minutes ago. In the military the penalty for treason is death”

EXECUTED 30 MINUTES AGO!!!! What? Already executed? The nation was still waiting for a decision. So basically the meeting ended around 5pm and the order was given to execute; no last meal nor final goodbyes.
General Vatsa is believed to have been wearing his white buba and sokoto and requested that his Bible, wedding ring and wrist watch be given to his wife. She was not allowed to see him throughout the trial, but their daughter Fatima was able to smuggle herself in with his defense lawyers and he sent them a note with the words : “Do not beg Babangida. He is after my life. Take care of the children. I know it is not easy but God will help you.”
Mrs Vatsa claims the ring given to her was not the Generals; it had been exchanged she alleged.

Rumors were rife for years that Vatsa was never killed, but smuggled to London by IBB to save his friend. Of course that was put to rest when Mrs Vatsa took IBB to the 1999 Oputa Truth Commission accusing him of murder.

One more oddity to the whole case were the words of General Domkat Bali in an interview twenty years later to TheNews Magazine. His words : ‘“My regret is that up till now, I am not sure whether Vatsa ought to have been killed because whatever evidence they amassed against him was weak. My only regret is that I could not say, don’t do it. I am not so sure whether we were right to have killed Vatsa.”


Source: https://v7place.com/index.php?topic=604.0

After masterminding the death of Dele giwa, mamman vatsa and others, the evil man still lives in his Minna residence...what a country!

NICE HISTORY. WHAT ABOUT MAJOR GENERAL BISSALA OF THE GOMWALK/DIMKA UPRISING?

NICE HISTORY. WHAT ABOUT MAJOR GENERAL BISSALA OF THE GOMWALK/DIMKA UPRISING? PLEASE REFRESH US.

Rickmann:



After masterminding the death of Dele giwa, mamman vatsa and others, the evil man still lives in his Minna residence...what a country!

It's a shame on Nigeria..... He and others should've been prosecuted a long time ago

DiscoverID:

But the south eastern region here worship him because he denied MKO abiola presidency. They love him because he was a gateway to their drug dealings and what not. IBB oni ku re.

Abiola was a crook and deserved every evil that came his way... I’m Yoruba but I don’t give a fvck about him.

All I could read was ₦10,000 = $12,000.
May God redeem Nigeria.

jojomario:
All I could read was ₦10,000 = $12,000.
May God redeem Nigeria.

I swear... That's all that caught my attention...

jojomario:
All I could read was ₦10,000 = $12,000.
May God redeem Nigeria.

do you know babangida did the first devaluation of Naira? since then there has never been a turn around.
the real the devil that took the nation down in bit and pieces. the man ibb is worse than these whole useless ones we currently have as president combined.
I'm always every happy knowing he is alive but so irrelevant in the scheme of things in this country. many innocent soul he sent to the great beyond.

What an impunity in the military era. Rip to vasta

olisaEze:


My friend it’s too early to be dis stupid.

Ingrained and etched stupidity has no best time. Let him wallow in it.

SEGLIZ:

do you know babangida did the first devaluation of Naira? since then there has never been a turn around.
the real the devil that took the nation down in bit and pieces. the man ibb is worse than these whole useless ones we currently have as president combined.
I'm always every happy knowing he is alive but so irrelevant in the scheme of things in this country. many innocent soul he sent to the great beyond.

Everyday I pray for him to live for another 50 years. Life go everly tire am.

orisa37:
NICE HISTORY. WHAT ABOUT MAJOR GENERAL BISSALA OF THE GOMWALK/DIMKA UPRISING? PLEASE REFRESH US.

Coming up soon! Very interesting details.

SEGLIZ:

do you know babangida did the first devaluation of Naira? since then there has never been a turn around.
the real the devil that took the nation down in bit and pieces. the man ibb is worse than these whole useless ones we currently have as president combined.
I'm always every happy knowing he is alive but so irrelevant in the scheme of things in this country. many innocent soul he sent to the great beyond.

Absolutely correct, Babangida is the genesis of Nigeria problem.