General Vatsa’s Family Commends President Tinubu Over Posthumous State Pardon

The family of late General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, who was executed for an alleged coup plot against General Ibrahim Babangida’s regime in 1986, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the state pardon granted to the late former FCT minister, General Vatsa.

The late renowned poet and Military General was executed along with nine other military officers in 1986 after a Military Tribunal found them guilty of an alleged coup.

The family who believed that the late General was innocent of the said coup plot, had consistently appealed to every successful administration since then to grant their son a state pardon to enable the family to run a foundation in his honour.

The family, in a statement in Minna on Friday, described the news of the pardon by President Tinubu as the greatest moment of joy since the late Vatsa was executed 39 years ago.

The statement, which was signed by the spokesperson of the family and former commissioner for Information Culture and Tourism and Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Niger state, Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, said President Tinubu has wiped away the tears of the family after 39 years of sorrow and sadness.

According to Vatsa, after several appeals to every successful administration, God has finally used President Tinubu to console the family, the Gulu Vatsa community, Lapai local government and the entire state.

“Today is the happiest moment in the life of the family after 39 years of sorrow and sadness following the killing of our late father, brother and uncle.

“Though nothing can bring him back to life, the family is consoled by this display of statesmanship by our dear president, Tinubu. He has written his name in gold, and history will forever remember him.

“Justice can never be denied but can only be delayed, the family is convinced that the late Vatsa must be a Happy person today in his grave by this singular act of compassion by President Tinubu. This goes to show that truth doesn’t expire”, Vatsa added.

He described the alleged 1986 coup as a frame-up, and the trial, a stage-managed one just to eliminate the late Vatsa out of envy and hatred for a man who has a root and identity.

He disclosed that “a highly respected Military General, late Domkat Bali, once said in an interview that the evidence against General Vatsa was weak and that he doesn’t know whether he was supposed to have been killed.

“That is why the family still maintained that the late Vatsa was innocent of the coup. But we still thank President Tinubu for his magnanimity in granting him the state pardon.

“How we wished this was happening when the late wife, some of his late children were still alive, notwithstanding we thank God that some of the children and grandchildren are still alive to witness this pardon”.