According to a report by The Sun on October 10, 2025, the family of the late General Mamman Jiya Vatsa, who was executed in 1986 over an alleged coup plot, has expressed deep gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for granting him a long-awaited state pardon.
In a statement released in Minna, the family described the president’s gesture as a divine act of justice that has finally brought healing to their home after 39 years of pain and sorrow.
The statement, signed by Hon. Jonathan Vatsa — a former Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism in Niger State — said the presidential pardon “has wiped away the tears” that had flowed since the death of their father, who they insist was falsely accused and unjustly executed.
“Our father died an innocent man. After 39 years, this pardon proves that truth never dies, and President Tinubu has written his name in gold,” Hon. Vatsa said passionately.
He further described the 1986 coup trial as a stage-managed political setup, claiming the charges were fabricated out of envy and hatred. Vatsa cited the late General Domkat Bali, who once revealed that the evidence against General Vatsa was “weak and unconvincing,” further validating their long-held belief in his innocence.
The family also lamented that some of Vatsa’s closest relatives — including his wife and a few children — did not live to witness this vindication, but said they are comforted that others are alive to see justice finally served.
They expressed heartfelt appreciation to President Tinubu for what they described as a compassionate and historic decision that would forever be remembered across Niger State and Nigeria at large.
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