By Citizenship Newspaper
The family of the late General Mamman Jiya Vatsa executed 39 years ago for his alleged involvement in a coup plot against General Ibrahim Babangida’s regime in 1986 has applauded President Bola Tinubu for the state pardon granted the late Nigerian Army General.
The renowned poet and late Military General and then FCT Minister was executed along with nine other military officers in 1986 after a Military Tribunal found them guilty of an alleged coup plot.
The family made the comment in a statement signed by the spokesperson and former Commissioner for Information Culture and Tourism and Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Niger state, Jonathan Tsado Vatsa in Minna.
Vatsa described the news of the pardon by President Tinubu as the greatest moment of joy since the late Vatsa was executed 39 years ago, sating President Tinubu has wiped away the tears of the family after 39 years of sorrow and sadness.
According to him, 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”.
He described the alleged 1986 coup as a frame up, and the trial, a stage-managed one just to eliminate the late General Vatsa out of envy and hatred for a man who has a root and identity.
He however insisted that the late Vatsa was innocent of the coup, but thanked President Tinubu for his magnanimity in granting him the state pardon.
Vatsa further revealed 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.
“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” he said.
