Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, has vowed to take legal action against former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, for his role in numerous violations of fundamental human rights.
Speaking on a national television, Falana announced his intention to challenge the malicious prosecution he and his colleagues faced during the military regime.
He insisted that late Major General Mamman Vatsa and others were sentenced to death over a “phantom coup”, adding that, “the case of Mamman Vatsa was a premeditated murder.”
Falana, who recounted how, during the June 12 struggle, peaceful protests erupted across Nigeria, explained that it was Babangida, who ordered the arrest of prominent activists like the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti, and himself.
He stated that the three of them were detained and brought to Abuja, where they faced charges of unlawful assembly, conspiracy, and sedition before a Chief Magistrate’s Court.
Falana detailed the sedition charge, stating that it stemmed from their publication of election results that IBB had refused to release, which was considered a criminal act at the time.
He said the military regime believed that by silencing them and sending them to Kuje Prison, the protests would cease.
Furthermore, Falana also criticised IBB’s refusal to apologise for the annulment of the June 12 election.
He pointed out that IBB’s failure to acknowledge the injustice done to him and others demonstrated a lack of accountability.
“No apology has been offered for our wrongful arrests and detentions. So, I am going to sue the General for engaging in massive violations of fundamental human rights,” Falana said.
Reflecting on the broader political landscape, Falana recalled that in 1985, IBB and his colleagues had promised to leave office in 1990.
However, as the years passed, IBB postponed his exit repeatedly, eventually shifting the date to 1993.
Falana added that his fellow activists organised protests against the regime, including the widely popular “IBB Must Go” campaign.
He further noted that he and his colleagues (Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti and Chief Fawehinmi) were imprisoned, denied access to their lawyers, and forced to defend themselves.
Despite these efforts, he stated, they remained resolute in their commitment to challenge IBB’s regime for its abuses.
Falana also revisited the tragic death of journalist Dele Giwa, alleging that the IBB regime killed without justification.
The military junta’s response to Giwa’s murder and the subsequent cover-up was part of a larger pattern of impunity, according to Falana.
He stated that despite initial promises of a public inquiry, the government stifled efforts to bring those responsible to justice.
