Several Nigerians who suffered under General Ibrahim Babangida’s (retd.) regime are now calling for his prosecution. In separate interviews with Sunday PUNCH, survivors and family members of victims shared their painful experiences from Babangida’s administration and demanded that he face trial in court.
In his autobiography, A Journey of Service, launched on February 20, 2025, the former military ruler provided a personal account of his regime, which lasted from August 27, 1985, to August 26, 1993. His government was known for its severe crackdown on opposition, and Nigerians rebelled after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election, which was won by the late Moshood Abiola.
Following the controversial annulment, violent riots erupted, with security agents reportedly killing at least 100 Nigerians. Though Babangida has not been directly linked to the death of investigative journalist Dele Giwa, who was assassinated by parcel bomb on October 19, 1986, many believe the state was responsible for his murder.
Babangida’s regime also shut down several media houses, including Newswatch Magazine, The Guardian, and PUNCH Newspapers. The latter had been particularly outspoken in its criticism of corruption, human rights violations, and financial mismanagement during his rule. The regime sanctioned several executions, including that of Babangida’s childhood friend, General Mamman Vatsa.
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Many pro-democracy and human rights activists, journalists, and lawyers, including Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Alao-Aka-Bashorun, Femi Falana, SAN, Femi Aborisade, Debo Adeniran, and Kunle Ajibade, were incarcerated for protesting the June 12 annulment. Survivors of these atrocities argue that Babangida does not deserve the praise he received at his book launch.
Adeniran, the President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, said Babangida should be held accountable for his crimes, insisting that the ex-general’s confession didn’t absolve him of his actions.
“I was detained during the early days of the June 12 protests, alongside Chima Ubani, Ebun Adegoruwa, and other comrades by Babangida. We were protesting in Ikeja when they arrested us and took us to Area F. We were remanded in prison by the Magistrate’s Court in Ebute Meta, Lagos,” he said. He further described the annulment as a “coup d’état” and accused Babangida of committing crimes against humanity, leading to widespread deaths, imprisonments, and exile.
Aborisade, a pro-democracy activist, strongly criticized Babangida’s claims of regret, describing him as a “tyrannical villain” who should be tried for annulling the June 12 election, which he said caused “untold deaths and bloodshed” in Nigeria.
Falana also shared his personal experience, recalling how Babangida’s regime detained him and other students who spoke against the government. He condemned Babangida for the deliberate killing of General Mamman Vatsa, denying any involvement in a coup and labeling the act as “plain murder.”
Bashorun’s daughter, Morayo Brown, a TV personality, joined the chorus of voices demanding Babangida’s prosecution. She criticized President Bola Tinubu for his public association with Babangida, questioning how he could engage with a man who tormented her father. She highlighted her father’s efforts to bring Babangida to justice before his death, recalling how her father had to go into self-exile due to Babangida’s regime.
Omoyele Sowore, a former student leader during the June 12 struggle, called for Babangida’s imprisonment, condemning him for killing students, journalists, and even fellow officers like Vatsa. He labeled Babangida a “murderer, thief, and dissembler” who should be in prison.
Jonathan Vatsa, the younger brother of late General Mamman Vatsa, also demanded that Babangida make restitution for the wrongs he caused Nigeria. He said Babangida owed the country an apology and urged him to return everything he took unjustly.
Raees Abacha, the grandson of late General Sani Abacha, also criticized Babangida, calling him a “betrayer” and a “coward.” He dismissed Babangida’s claims in his book about Abacha being behind the June 12 annulment and accused Babangida of distorting the facts of the 1966 coup.
Babangida’s claim in his autobiography about the 1966 coup being free from ethnic motivations has also sparked controversy. In the book, he downplays the ethnic angle to the coup, explaining that Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, the leader of the revolt, was not purely Igbo and that the coup was hijacked by outsiders, giving it an ethnic tint. Some social media users have praised Babangida for revealing this truth, while others have criticized him for revisionist history.
Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide, responded by highlighting the non-Igbo victims of the coup to argue that the revolt started as a nationalistic movement but turned tribalistic. Others, like Oba Omotooyosi Akinleye, the Olukosi of Ilukosi-Ijesa, accused Babangida of distorting history to protect himself and his allies.
In summary, the legacy of Babangida’s rule remains deeply divisive, with many Nigerians calling for justice for the atrocities committed during his time in power. His autobiography has reignited calls for accountability, as both survivors and victims’ families demand that the former leader face the consequences of his actions.
