Vatsa Family says IBB’s book is “a collection of distorted facts”.
Epe Insights reports that ‘A Journey in Service‘, the long-awaited autobiography of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), Nigeria’s former military president, has been described as “a collection of distorted facts” and “a good reference material for criminals” by the family of late Gen. Mamman Jiya Vatsa, executed in 1986 for allegedly plotting a coup against IBB.
The family’s spokesperson and a cousin of the late General, Jonathan Vatsa, who addressed journalists in Minna on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, expressed outrage over Babangida’s claim that Vatsa’s killing was justified due to evidence implicating him in a coup.
“General Babangida is a man that has lost in the affairs of honor over the many lies contained in his belated autobiography book.
“Babangida’s book is a bunch of lies and blackmails. It’s a collection of distorted facts that cannot be a reference book for young and upcoming generations but rather for criminals,” Jonathan Vatsa said.
The former Niger State APC publicity secretary questioned Babangida’s identity, citing his admission of changing his name from Badamosi to Babangida to associate with the northern region.
“Northerners don’t bear the name Badamosi; it’s synonymous with the South-West people,” Vatsa said.
He accused Babangida of lying about the June 12 election annulment, stating that it was Babangida’s decision, not General Sani Abacha’s.
“How can he lie that Abacha annulled the election when he was in control as Head of State?
“Unfortunately the man he accused of annulling the June 12 and all the actors in the June 12 controversy are no more today to tell their own story and that is why no serious-minded individual should take the book serious,” the Vatsa family spokesman added.
Vatsa lamented that even in death, Babangida refused to let the late General Vatsa and his family have peace.
“IBB is still troubling the dead man and his entire family. Well, people have seen the end of our brother, but Babangida doesn’t know how he will end.
“Our joy is that the reactions of Nigerians after the so-called book presentation shows that the killing of late General Vatsa was done out of envy, malice, and hatred.”
