NewStats: 3,259,300 , 8,169,758 topics. Date: Saturday, 24 May 2025 at 04:29 PM 597129

Former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), has revealed details of the foiled coup allegedly led by his childhood friend, General Mamman Vatsa, which he says compelled him to choose between preserving a longstanding personal bond and safeguarding the nation’s future.

In excerpts from his autobiography, ‘A Journey of Service,’ launched on February 20, 2025, Babangida recounts how early warnings about Vatsa’s alleged plans reached him “as a series of rumours.”

In Chapter 10 titled, ‘The Challenges of Leadership,’ the former military leader said though he initially dismissed the rumours as unfounded jealousy of the close relationship they both shared since their youth, he consulted fellow officers, including Generals Nasko, Garba Duba, and Wushishi.

Subsequent covert investigations by military and other intelligence agencies, he explained, uncovered “incontrovertible evidence” that Vatsa had funded officers to facilitate the plot.

Babangida said, “With our experience in the few months in government and the benefit of hindsight based on previous rumours, I determined that the best way to tackle the rumours about a possible Vatsa coup was by confronting the principal suspects.

“When the decibel of the stories rose too high, I confronted Vatsa himself after reporting the rumours to more senior colleagues like Generals Nasko, Garba Duba and Wushishi. Nasko intervened and tried to find out the truth from Vatsa. Vatsa flatly denied it all, but the covert investigations by the military and other intelligence services continued.

“Once substantial incontrovertible evidence was established, the arrests began. It turned out that Vatsa had paid several officers money to facilitate the coup operation. One of them was Lt-Col. Musa Bitiyong, who was given N50,000.

“He itted it, and Vatsa also itted the payment but said he wanted to help Bitiyong establish a farm project — the case of Lt-Col. Musa was not helped because he had previously been involved in other controversial coup stories.”

Among the reported plans were the bombing of the Eko Bridge in Lagos and the sabotage of key Air Force assets.

Referring to the scheme as “dastardly,” he said intelligence revealed plans to hijack or shoot down the presidential aircraft.

“I felt a deep personal sense of betrayal,” he noted, citing their decades-long friendship that began in Minna.

Once the military tribunal completed its review, Babangida said, “it was clear that the coup planners had to be executed.”

Vatsa and nine other co-conspirators were executed in March 1986, a decision Babangida called “a personal loss of a childhood friend” but one necessary to secure Nigeria’s stability.

He wrote, “They had planned a bloody coup which would have plunged the country into darkness. I had to choose between saving a friend’s life and the nation’s future.

“Above all, everyone who had signed on to a military career understood clearly what it meant to plan a coup and fail. The penalty was clear and unmistakable.”

Reflecting on the emotional toll, Babangida described being “somewhat depressed” over Vatsa’s death yet insisted his responsibility to uphold national security took precedence over personal ties.

“Of course, Vatsa’s death was a personal loss of a childhood friend. As a human being, I was somewhat depressed to watch him die in such circumstances.

“However, the nation’s stability and the cohesion of the armed forces were too high on the scale of priorities to be sacrificed for personal considerations. The law and the imperatives of order and national security are overriding.

“Everyone who had signed on to a military career understood clearly what it meant to plan a coup and fail,” he said.

According to him, of Vatsa’s family and various political interests later attempted to politicise the episode, but he remained resolute that the execution was vital for “the cohesion of the armed forces” and the country as a whole.

In his , Babangida noted that some senior officers had expressed dissatisfaction about Vatsa’s appointment as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, mainly because the latter played no role in removing General Buhari.

Nonetheless, the former Head of State said he “remained true” to their friendship and “bent backwards to accommodate his excesses and boisterousness.”

Speaking at the official launch of his autobiography and fundraiser for the IBB Presidential Library in Abuja, Babangida expressed regret over the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, acknowledging that the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Moshood Abiola, won the elections.

However, he blamed ‘forces’ led by former Head of State, General Sani Abacha, for annulling the elections.

In the 12th chapter of the book subtitled, ‘Transition to civil rule and the June 12 Saga, he wrote, “I saying: ‘These nefarious ‘inside’ forces opposed to the elections have outflanked me!’

“I would later find out that the ‘forces’ led by General Sani Abacha annulled the elections.

“There and then, I knew I was caught between ‘the devil and the deep blue sea!! From then on, the June 12 elections took on a painful twist for which, as I will show later, I regrettably took responsibility.”


He also said the annulment was to avoid a foreseen elimination of Abiola, which would plunge the nation into a civil war.

“While I accept that the unfortunate denial of his mandate amounted to a subversion of the will of the Nigerian people, I was petrified that if Abiola got killed, it could lead to a civil war. Having participated in one civil war, with all its horrors, pains and devastation, I wasn’t prepared to see another,” he wrote on page 287.

Vatsa family demands restitution

Reacting, a family member of late Vatsa, Jonathan, knocked the former military dictator over his apology for the annulment of the June 12 presidential election.

Jonathan insisted that the killing of his brother was unjust.

He said, “My stance has always been that he was killed unjustly. He never deserved to die. There was no valid reason for his execution, even though the military tribunal sentenced him to death. He had the right to appeal. Before he could even file an appeal, they announced he had been killed an hour earlier. Why the rush to execute an innocent man?

“It’s like winning a case in court and, according to the Nigerian constitution, you have the right to go to a higher court, but before you can do so, they claim your time has run out. They weren’t fair to him. It wasn’t about sacrifice; they saw him as a threat. If he had been alive, they wouldn’t have been able to accomplish the things they did.

“He (Babangida) owes Nigerians apology on so many issues. And it’s not only apology he owes Nigerians. He should thank God he is still alive and he has the opportunity to say I’m sorry. So, he should equally summon the courage, not only to apologise, he should equally make restitution. Everything that he has taken from Nigerians that was not in the right way, he should make restitution.

“He should return them back to Nigerians. It could be money, it could be property, it could be anything he has acquried not the right way because he has the opportunity, he’s alive so that whatever he is doing now will look genuine before Nigerians. But I really want to go through the book; I have got it online; I’m making my points.

Abiola’s daughter, Odumakin slam IBB

Hafsat Abiola-Costello, daughter of the late Chief MKO Abiola, while reacting, said although the acknowledgement of IBB that her father won the 1993 election was significant, it did not change the pain and injustice suffered by her family and Nigerians.

“For decades, Nigerians have known the truth. This is not new to us. But it is important that history records it from those who played a role in that dark chapter,” she said.

She noted that whenever the date was mentioned, her thoughts went to her parents, MKO and Kudirat Abiola.

According to her, the importance of June 12 goes beyond them, as it represents the collective hope of Nigerians for a better and more united country.

She said, “MKO may have been the symbol of the Hope ‘93 campaign but June 12 was about more than one man, it was about the promise of Nigeria that would deliver for Nigerians.

“For those that kept expressing doubt that Nigerians had spoken so decisively on that day, I’m glad that General IBB’s ission that MKO won the election can now lay the matter to rest.

“It’s sad that such a galvanising statement as the breakthrough vote for MKO should have been truncated by an unjust annulment. But I will be forever grateful to both MKO and Kudi for not allowing their fears for their personal safety to stand in the way of the people’s desire for a better Nigeria. May such commitment endure.”

Also, a human rights activist and President of the Centre for Change, Dr Joe Odumakin, strongly criticised the former military leader over what she called a “hatchet job” to “mislead the present generation of Nigerians.”

In a statement on Friday, Odumakin particularly objected to Babangida’s “Maradona style double-speak,” noting that in “one breath, he took responsibility for annulling June 12,” while also shifting blame to the late General Sani Abacha, who served as his Chief of Army Staff.

She said, “It is indeed ridiculous that Babangida would stoop to accusing a dead man of such a heinous crime, knowing full well that the accused can never defend himself.

“It is indeed ridiculous that Babangida, as the Commander-in-Chief of that junta, could descend so low to accuse a dead man of such a heinous crime, knowing fully well that the accused would forever remain silent.

“Has Babangida forgotten that as the Head of State, he had the power to sack Abacha if, indeed, the latter had threatened the people’s mandate given to Abiola?

“Has IBB forgotten that his so-called transition to the civil room programme was not only long and winding but also full of booby traps?”

According to Odumakin, it was clear that Babangida’s transition programme was not designed to hand power over to a democratic government.

She cited the “banning, unbanning, and rebanning of political associations and individuals” as further evidence that IBB harboured no real intention of relinquishing power.

“We recall that he postponed the hand over date to a democratically elected government on two occasions in 1990 and 1992 before cancelling the election in 1993. Will he also blame Abacha for those postponements?

“What about the banning, unbanning and rebanning of political associations and individuals? Would Abacha also take the blame for that? It was an open secret that Babangida’s transition to civil rule programme was not designed to achieve a real hand over of power to democratic Government,” she stated.

Source: https://punchng.com/IBB-defends-executing-childhood-friend-family-demands-restitution

All is well

Sorry guys, I got power and killed my best friend and best man at my wedding. (Just analyze what kind of human being kills the person who was the best man at his wedding)
Its called Narcissistic Psychopathy.(Google the traits of a Narcissistic psychopath)
Some poisoned covertly.
Some died by assassinations.
Some died by state assassinations.
Some crashed in planes.
Some framed and arrested abroad.
Some died of "natural causes".
Some died by "penury".
Some died by letter bomb delivered to them by the presidency.

God save us from killers disguised as friends.
A killer never kills once.....once you are okay killing a human being, you will do it again !
Any loud vocal critic of IBB, EVENTUALLY DIES MYSTERIOUSLY, Vatsa died, His 2 sons criticized IBB daily in the media, they are both dead mysteriously,Dr Bala Usman, fearless firebrand IBB critic , dead! Dr Hamza zayyad rafindadi, fell out with IBB and criticized his economic policies in the media, also dead.What do these people have in common, they criticized IBB in the media. What are the chances they all died of natural causes ?
“I would later find out that the ‘forces’ led by General Sani Abacha annulled the elections."
He is only putting the blame on Sani Abacha because he is dead. He could never have said this statement if Sani Abacha was alive.
This also quietly tells you, who really killed Sani Abacha.....if you can connect the dots.

I participated in JUNE 12 Protest.Mushin olosha,Ojuelegba was a theatre of War.I think only Oshodi,Agege,Alimosho ,Vi was a restful. Protest in ondo,Ogun,ibadan..


May MKO soul RIP WELL

This is IBB's final card. And he used it well.

He might be lying through his teeth but he will retire to his chair and watch you all lose your minds over him once again.

Ibb can never change. The maradona himself

Naso lies full the book.
History won’t be kind to these men.
He should just apologize now that he’s still alive. He has the opportunity now to purge his heart of the burden that weighs it.

I wonder the karmic burden on his soul if eventually he es without restitution

They all defended how they excuted fellow military officers by saying "it was for the process of the country". Where is this progress because we can neither see nor feel it! The only progress we experience daily in this country is progressing backwards.

Baba dey try shalaye before he go Kpai because he dey reason say once hin Kpai na Cur#e people to take follow am.

He quickly document history so that na him own narrative go dey fly for town but people wen sabi know wetin happen small.

Since he wants to say the "truth'. Why not take a polygraph test?

Nonsense and ingredient. Villains always claim victors if given audience.

Next is Gowon.

Osiris12:
Ibb can never change. The maradona himself

Naso lies full the book.
History won’t be kind to these men.
He should just apologize now that he’s still alive. He has the opportunity now to purge his heart of the burden that weighs it.

I wonder the karmic burden on his soul if eventually he es without restitution

So what makes you feel or think he is lying, especially at this old age?

Besides, some of those officers are still alive today, don't you think some would counter his statement if they were lies.

Tinubu who his slaves always hail as a NADECO Democrat was the one who led the fund raising and book launch for IBB.

IBB is the man who cancelled the election that NADECO was fighting to restore the mandate.

While Abacha was busy putting true NADECO Democrats in prison, Tinubu had ran abroad.

His clown zombie slaves will disturb you with noise how Tinubu fought for June 12

It is obvious how dubious in character the person called Tinubu is.

Zero integrity, just full of propaganda

With time and the airbrushing of history, even tyrants become statesmen and heroes. Dear Yoruba Ronus
IBB say na him end Abiola, i like una silence o.
Bunch of idiots!!!, Hypocrites and Ass wipes.

Life....so many injuries and injustices....

This world

Aisha and siblings will forever not forgive IBB.

R

From what IBB said, there wasn't any strong evidence against him (Vasta) if Lt col musa said the money given to him was for a farm project, it was up to the tribunal to investigate further. Not draw conclusions because musa had been involved in various coup scandals.

Besides, the late General domkat Bali who was among the Supreme military council that convicted Vasta and others itted years later they couldn't find any evidence against him.

Even General Gado Nasco who was mentioned by IBB in his book also said they couldn't find any evidence against Vasta. That what prompted them to arrest him was because he (Vasta) tried to escape.

IBB got rid of Vasta because he wanted to please the Jos mafia who made up the bulk of his senior officers. Vasta headed the tribunal that sentenced Lt col Dimka and others to death. So the Jos officers wanted to make Vasta pay for that.

JAWBONE:
Tinubu who his slaves always hail as a NADECO Democrat was the one who led the fund raising and book launch for IBB.

IBB is the man who cancelled the election that NADECO was fighting to restore the mandate.

It is obvious how dubious in character the person called Tinubu is.

Zero integrity, just full of propaganda

Ok shukudi

JAWBONE:
Tinubu who his slaves always hail as a NADECO Democrat was the one who led the fund raising and book launch for IBB.

IBB is the man who cancelled the election that NADECO was fighting to restore the mandate.

It is obvious how dubious in character the person called Tinubu is.

Zero integrity, just full of propaganda

K shukudi

Dshocker:


So what makes you feel or think he is lying, especially at this old age?

Besides, some of those officers are still alive today, don't you think some would counter his statement if they were lies.

Which officers? Nearly everyone he has accused is dead and unable to defend themselves. Such a despicable fellow.

Interestingly, though he claimed to have had incontrovertible evidence, he shared none, and none has ever been shared over the years. The sole piece of evidence against Vatsa has always been the fact that he gave 50,000 Naira to Bitiyong.

JAWBONE:
Tinubu who his slaves always hail as a NADECO Democrat was the one who led the fund raising and book launch for IBB.

IBB is the man who cancelled the election that NADECO was fighting to restore the mandate.

It is obvious how dubious in character the person called Tinubu is.

Zero integrity, just full of propaganda

Whatever happened has happened, it's better to move on than hold on to grudges. Also, the Yorubas have been compensated for that in many ways.

This man really dealt with Yoruba people...and the thing still they pain them ..🤣🤣🤣

Believe Babangida at your own peril.

Now he has absolved himself of responsibilities for all the evils he perpetrated.

Imagine blaming Abacha for annulling the June 12 elections.

This man called himself "Maradona" and "Evil Genius" for a reason!
He just utilized his last dribbling stroke (on gullible Nigerians)!

Just imagine, IBB unjustly murdered his childhood friend because of power. Did he bring any evidence to really show Vasta plotted a coup against him? Nope. All these people he mentioned are dead na. Mehn. This man is evil. There is no repentance in him. He called dead people in his book that cannot counter him. This man is evil. Just imagine, he executed someone who was his best man when he married Mariam. Na so this man evil reach ooo. Kids, you don't know IBB. He is evil. He didn't give him the opportunity to appeal na. Piam.....he executed him, and everyone was shocked when they heard Vasta was dead cos we expected him to appeal cos the man pleaded for his life and was crying that his best friend should save him. If he is telling the truth, why did he wait for almost everyone involved to die before publishing his "lie lie" historical book? I that Vasta said if it was against someone else, he wouldn't cry, but against Ibrahim his closest and best friend....never. Mariam, IBB's wife was confused because Vasta's wife was on her neck crying. The two families wer3 5 and 6. You couldn't even know the boss between them. It even seemed Vasta was deadlier, but cos he wasn't too much involved in the coup that removed Buhari, so he couldn't be the leader. But IBB made him one of the top bosses cos they were close. I that time na. The issue was that...Vasta wasn't that interested in planning coups from history, so, how come he would plan one against his blossom friend who even rewarded him well? The theory was that Abacha and his boys felt Vasta was a stumbling block to their plan. And I somehow think IBB was right by saying Abacha led the group of those who annulled June 12, but that only Abacha did it is a NO for me. They were in the same evil group. Abacha, IBB, Oseni, and some others. Abacha was to rule too after IBB, and that was what happened exactly. They removed the stumbling block. Period.

I was one of the first that scolded NL kids making positive comments about IBB. Many of you think Buhari or Tinubu are evil....lol. You dont know IBB. Ha. This man is a devil. The fact is that these kids don't even understand what Nigerians ed through in 80s and 90s in the hands of Buhari (military rule), IBB, and Abacha. You don't understand the dark ages of students where schools were closed anyhow. You think closing of schools during Jonathan and Buhari's return were disasters? Lol. Go and ask your parents how IBB made them sleep at home for years without options. Una kuku get options now. Many of you can move abroad now, hmmmm....go ask your parents what students suffered in those days. And I still read some comments above. One is even asking what if he was right? Lol. This is why I always keep quiet when they start insulting Sowore. Though, Sowore can over do it, but mehn! I still Mayegun in those days. Mehn. You kids are "very extremely" lucky.

I have written that IBB will not die well, and I will repeat it here as Yoruba people would say - ko ni ku ree. Oloriburuku, oloshi. Kids, go ask your parents that someone said IBB is a bastard, and I bet you...they will add 10 more curses. This man is evil.

Go read my past posts where I wrote that he is trying to write a good legacy for himself and the mistake he has made is that he ed the blame on a dead man. Lol. Abacha isn't alive to fire him and reveal the evil they both did.

Do you guys notice that he also waited for Jeremiah Oseni to to glory?. He knows Jerry would defend Abacha na. I bet you that he has had this book on his table maybe over 15 years, but he waited for those people to die. And if he was not alive, I feel he might have paid for the book to be published after these people were dead.

But IBB has made the greatest mistake of his life. I predict that this book will give birth to about more 5 books. Listen, Minimum of 5 people will counter IBB with books so they can all go into history. Kids, just watch it.

My God that said IBB will see messes and humiliation before his death is the reason he spared his life to publish this book after the death of people who could counter him because they did the evil together.. But he will be shocked that one of those people would have kept proofs somewhere, and they will burst out all the evil they all did together. Mark my words, a real proof that he killed Dele Giwa might be revealed before his death. Cos only those that planned it with him can reveal it. And I feel, some will very soon. My spirit is telling me so.

Maradona IBB thinks he can still dribble us. Children, this is his nickname. He is mischievous. Also, he is called the "evil genius". Lol. This man is evil. You guys don't know him at all. This man? Hahahahahah! Don't believe this demon. He is smart. Ha. IBB. Don't you hear his name? Maradona. I kuku know you watch football and you know how Maradona dribbled a complete team from the center of the pitch to score a superb goal. That's why he is called Maradona. There is a song about him. "Maradon....don do oooo....Maradona". I still that track.

Anyway, I await more criticism, and I know that books will be published soon to counter him so that generations after us will have his book and others. Then, they will know that this man is evil. Instead of him to go to his grave silently, and let the issues remain unsolved, he wants to play smart again to put all blames on those who are dead who cannot defend themselves. Lol.

IBB removed moral instructions from the heart of Nigerians. If you wonder why Nigerians are called 419 everywhere, this is the man that started it. He turned faithful people to rogues. This man is evil. He legalised corruption in Nigeria. He legalised looting. In those days, you would be afraid to loot, but this man rewarded looters as long as they did his bidding.

He destroyed good people's legacy. Children, Google "Tai Solarin". Hahahhaha. The way he messed up that baba and his legacy. Hahahaha.

I even pity Igbos cos this man destroyed them. Lol. IBB finished the eastern region. Kids, you don't understand. And codedly, some people said he destroyed the great Awo too. Na story for another day. Wetin this man no destroy for Nigeria? IBB!

Just wait and see. More people will tell you that IBB is werey and oloriburuku.

Sigh

He Babangida should just openly apologize

heybeebugatty:
All is well

All is not well ooh... hmm

The evidence against Vasta was too weak, IBB rushed to execute him even when by military law, he had the right to appeal the decision of the military tribunal that sentenced him to death. Even one of the generals who sat in the Tribunal later regretted the decision saying that there was no strong or direct evidence against General Vasta to have led to his execution that IBB was just jealous of him because he was amongst the brightest soldiers then and commanded loyalty and respect amongst officers that IBB felt uncomfortable with. IBB executed his best friend, a man that was his best man during his wedding .

THE TRUE STORY BEHIND MAMMAN VATSA'S DEATH IS LINKED TO A DRUG BUSINESS IBB TRIED TO HIDE FROM NIGERIANS...

ONLY WAY TO KEEP THE DEAL CONCEALED WAS THE FRAME AND EXECUTION OF MAMMAN VATSA, AND MURDER OF DELE GIWA.

READ STORY BELOW CAREFULLY..

Gloria Okon was caught in 1985 with heroin in Nigeria and died in very controversial circumstances.

FULL NAMES (alternate names): Miss Gloria Okon

BIRTH AND EARLY DAYS

She was born in 1950.

HER ARREST

On the 22nd April, 1985, a petite society lady, Gloria Okon, was about to board a Nigeria Airways aircraft WT840 (Lagos-Kano-London) at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano State when she was arrested with substances suspected to be heroin and other hard drugs (the National Security Organization, NSO or Nigeria’s secret intelligence agency is often mentioned in her arrest). Tucked in internally were 56.70 grammes of the substances. She was also caught with the sum of N20,000, 60 pounds sterling, $301 and 19,000 Italian lira. The customs officers and drug law enforcement agents were very excited to have nabbed her, not because they had caught her alone but because they would also be stars of the show for a while as all the arrests were being made by their counterparts at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. But their jowls of excitement were pangs of sheer agony for the 35-year-old Okon. Why?

The year was 1985 and anyone caught with drugs would face the death penalty, no stories. That was the provision of the Decree 20 put in place by the junta of General Muhammadu Buhari . She was going to die, and she knew it. Stunned and stupefied at her sudden stare at death, Okon became an unwilling and helpless star before the nation’s news-thirsty media. Newspapers and magazines contained her story and the radios gave the chilly broadcast. For many who read the story or heard the announcement, it was not a big deal they thought, she was going to be executed like others. But then, there would be a twist in Okon’s story that would turn her into the most mysterious drug pusher in Nigeria’s history. What happened next still remains very bizarre even 30 years after.

DEATH

On the 28th April, six days after her arrest, the most unexpected happened: Gloria Okon died in custody. From an ordinary ‘heroin suspect’, the sudden demise of Okon led to what is now one of the most enduring narcodramas in Nigeria. She did not just die, she died in very questionable and mysterious circumstances. The Buhari regime would not bury the case and an investigation was launched into the matter, with a judicial commission of inquiry given the complicated task of unraveling all the circumstances surrounding the very suspicious death of Okon who gave up the ghost at the Aminu Kano Hospital, Kano.

INVESTIGATIONS

The judicial commission of enquiry working on the Okon case was headed by Justice CNO Ubbaonu of the Kano High Court. It began its sitting in Kano almost three months (precisely 5th Monday, August) after she died. Other of the were:

Wing Commander PG Asemota
Tunde Oloko, a university don
JI Obianwu, who was the secretary
The case was so serious that the Inspector-General Etim Inyang was mandated to ensure there is a reasonable conclusion to the case and to make sure all the mysteries are solved. The commission was to carry out three main tasks:

Make proper inquiry as to the arrest and death of Gloria Okon
Determine whether during the period of her arrest and custody, if any person(s) contributed to her death through acts incidental to the case
Make suitable recommendations
But that would never happen: on the 27th of that same August, the military regime of Buhari was toppled by General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and till date, no one knows how it all ended and the demise remains a mystery. However, it must be stated that before she died, Okon reportedly confessed and revealed a ‘big baron’, as a matter of fact, a customs official said of her revelation:

‘If carefully handled, she may lead us to the big brains behind the business.’

But before Okon could even mention the name of her mentor or sponsor, she was stone-dead. According to those who investigated her case and questioned her, the only clue she left was simply the name ‘Bassey’. Ibrahim Coomasie was the commissioner of police for Kano State and he stated that it was almost impossible to track her mentor because Okon did not give the second name of Bassey or even an address, so the investigation met a dead end. The address that was listed against her name, 21 Cole Street, Surulere, Lagos was found to be non-existent.

However, it must be pointed out that although Okon was just one of the many female carriers arrested, she was the only drug mule very willing to cooperate and say it all, revealing all information on her sponsors. But before she could utter anything, she was gone. An autopsy conducted stated the cause of death as food poisoning. There was no time Okon showed any sign of ill-health, she was quite healthy when she was arrested as the public inquiry found out but according to Misharck Okitiakpo, a customs officer who kept her in custody, Gloria Okon fell ill just a day after she was arrested. Okitiakpo also explained that on the day she was arrested (22nd), Okon made a request for rice and beans which she was given. But on the 23rd and 24th, she was rushed to the hospital after she complained.

But that is where Okitiakpo’s s stopped. He did not explain or was unable to explain what happened from the 25th to the 28th when Okon finally breathed her last. Okon had been in the custody of the Customs until the 25th when she was handed to the police. Therefore, it is not precisely clear whether she was poisoned while with the customs or under the police custody where she eventually died. In an interview with The Guardian in May 1985, Coomasie said Okon had changed saying:

‘…the late suspect was not talking when she was brought to the police and did not make any statement to the police, when the police took custody of Okon, she looked weird and neither ate nor talked. ’

But later, she was given some egusi soup by the police (egusi with what? Abi she drink the egusi ni, police no tell us that one). The police also said she took some bananas and tea after the egusi. Amazing food combination: egusi, banana and tea.

The mystery of Okon’s case was further deepened when no one showed up to claim her, not even one relative showed to identify her as a suspect or even her corpse. According to Babadisa Ciroma, an assistant commissioner of police (A) who was in charge of Okon’s interrogation said no one paid her a visit while in custody or even when she was itted at the hospital. That was not all, 39 days after her death Okon’s corpse remained unclaimed at the Murtala Muhammed Hospital Mortuary where it was deposited. This prompted the police force Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to issue a notice that her remains might be treated as unknown if it not claimed after seven days of warning to the general public. Apparently embarrassed by the mysterious death of Okon in custody and to prevent a repeat, the government compelled state police commands to transfer suspects and exhibits in cases of hard drugs to the Force CID Headquarters in Lagos by ‘the most expedient means’.

The Nigerian nation was supposed to hear from the judicial commission of inquiry by the end of August and shed light on the case but by the end of August, a new leader was in place and he was a military president: IBB. The late lawyer Gani Fawehinmi attempted to resurrect the case but this put him on a path of direct clash with Haliru Akilu and Kunle Togun, two of IBB’s most dreaded security agents. No one was ever charged over the death of Gloria Okon.

THE CONTROVERSIES

In the absence of a conclusive investigation, so many tales have been spun by many so as to fill in the gaps. According to some, Okon never died, the corpse presented was all a ruse and part of a grand conspiracy. In June 2009, Professor Taiyemiwo Ogunade, in an interview with THE NATION said of the Okon case:
‘Gloria Okon is actually Chinyere, that’s her real name. She married Charles “Jeff” Chandler, the fellow who killed Nzeogwu and was killed a day later. Chinyere, Maryam and Princess Atta were young friends who hung out together. They all married into the military, because the military was a proud and respectable profession then. Charles Chandler, who was Tiv, married Chinyere who I think is from Imo State. IBB married Maryam from Asaba and Mamman Vatsa married the princess. So Chinyere became a widow and resorted to trading between UK and Nigeria. And then she was caught with drugs; Mamman Vatsa was the person who put Chinyere on the next available flight from Kano to London – and then claimed that she was dead by parading a dead woman picked out of the mortuary. Dele Giwa later found out that she was in London having delivered a baby by another man. He sent a French photographer to the place and they saw Maryam Babangida at the event. Kayode Soyinka brought back the photographs. Dele was sitting across the table from Kayode examining the photos taken of “Gloria Okon” (Chinyere, Richard Chandler’s wife) at the naming ceremony in London. Maryam Babangida was there.
And then a letter parcel was delivered to him and he said excitedly that it must be from “Mr. President” referring to the discussions he had with IBB days earlier. The bomb exploded and severed his lower abdomen; he died a few hours later.’

Some others say Dele Giwa knew that Okon was Maryam Babangida (or even IBB)’s drug mule and wanted to blackmail IBB, which is why he was killed. Newswatch has denied any link between their late founder who was killed by a parcel bomb in 1986.
Tom Mbeke-Ekanem in his book, Beyond the Execution: Understanding the Ethnic and Military Politics in Nigeria insisted the corpse sent to Calabar to Okon’s family was a fake corpse and that the family returned it saying it was not the corpse of their daughter, but that the authorities insisted the corpse was that of Okon. The claim was that the real Okon was freed to go live overseas and replaced with an unclaimed corpse brought in from the mortuary. The crazy controversies around the case prompted the Federal Government to make attempts to unearth everything thus launching the public commission.
According to others, she was a drug mule for the former Nigerian First Lady Maryam Babangida shuttling between the USA and Britain and she was killed so she would not squeal. As it is now, the truth is hanging somewhere, and the only way I think Nigerians will eventually get to know the truth is when a government comes and re-opens the case and declassifying all the documents relating to the case. Whether that will take 10 or 100 years, no one knows. But before then, the story of Gloria Okon is one eerie chapter that will continue to haunt the world’s largest black nation.

deltateam:
Since he wants to say the "truth'. Why not take a polygraph test?

Nonsense and ingredient. Villains always claim victors if given audience.

Next is Gowon.

Forget that one.
Gowon is already getting it through the ass.
Karma!