When I saw the name of Lt. Col. Effiong on the list, I looked for the name of Maj. D.I Bamidele. Effiong was convicted for the Vatsa coup & sentenced to death but spared. Bamidele was shot with Vatsa on 5 Mar 1986. @MBuhari knows his story well & had chance here to remedy wrong https://twitter.com/DemolaRewaju/status/1248290467999072257

In late 1983, Maj Bamidele discovered that there was a coup plot against the govt of President Shehu Shagari. As a patriotic officer, he reported what he learnt to his Commanding Officer, Maj-Gen Buhari. Maj. Bamidele didn't know that his CO was himself the leader of the plot.

On receiving Maj. Bamidele's report, his CO, Gen @MBuhari, had the officer arrested & detained in Dec 1983 for over 2 weeks. When he woke up in detention on 31 Dec 1983, Maj Bamidele found that the CO to whom he had reported the plot was the man announced as coup leader.

#FastForward to 2 yrs later, it was late 1985 & Maj Bamidele, now back in service, discovered what was supposed to be the making of another plot. Chastened by his experience in 1983, he kept to himself. For that, this promising, patriotic officer was executed on 5 March 1986.

I only recall the story of Maj. Bamidele here to underscore a point that former COAS, Gen Chris Alli, has made in his book on @HQNigerianArmy - the lives of many young officers were wasted in phantom coup trials by duplicitous Military leaders. They deserve justice.

For those who ask, here is Maj. Dan Idowu Bamidele, diligent & brilliant officer, who had in dollops courage & character that his Commanding Officers lacked, & was made to pay with his life for a crime he didn't commit. May he & other officers like him one day get justice.