Babangida Deserves To Be Put In Prison For The Rest Of His Life – Activist Aborisade

Human rights activist, Femi Aborisade, has said that former military president Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) should be in prison for life for the damage he caused to Nigeria during his rule.

Reacting to the recent launch of Babangida’s autobiography, ‘A Journey of Service’, Aborisade dismissed the former leader’s expressions of regret over past decisions, particularly the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, insisting that his actions led to bloodshed, political instability, and economic decline.

In a chat with The Guardian, Aborisade described Babangida’s public reflection on his time in power as insincere, arguing that his actions continue to haunt the country.

Naija News reports that the activist said that the annulment of the June 12 election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history, was a deliberate act of sabotage against the country’s democracy.

According to him, the decision triggered a series of violent crises, which led to mass killings, arrests, and political instability, ultimately culminating in the brutal military dictatorship of General Sani Abacha.

The human rights lawyer said, “IBB is a tyrannical villain who should be tried for annulling the democratic electoral choice of the Nigerian people in the June 12 presidential election. IBB sheds crocodile tears. He is insincere in his so-called regrets. He has done incalculable damage to societal development.

“Nigerians should reject IBB and all the evil that his regime represents. The annulment of the June 12 presidential election remains a monumental disservice to Nigerian society. The struggle against the annulment has caused untold bloodshed, deaths, maiming, killings, and brutalisation.

“It is unfortunate that people like IBB, who ought to be socially ostracised for the monumental setback their regimes represent for society, are being celebrated by a segment of the media. He deserves to be put on trial. He deserves to be in prison for the rest of his life.”

He added that IBB was a tyrannical villain.

Aborisade stated further, “From the standpoint of the masses of Nigeria, IBB is a tyrannical villain. But from the standpoint of those honouring him with their presence and donating part of the loot they stole from what belongs to Nigerians generally, IBB is their hero. Members of the ruinous ruling class and rotten businessmen are not representative of the aspirations of Nigerian society. They represent the old order who contributed to ruining Nigeria. Those who pretended they were pro-June 12 but are celebrating IBB, who annulled the June 12 presidential election, are actually as guilty as IBB. They are mocking MKO Abiola while dining and smiling with the killers of MKO.

“By celebrating IBB, they are celebrating coup-making and encouraging undemocratic interventions in the political life of the country.

“I’m not surprised; many of those who attended the book launch were IBB-inspired new breed politicians who emerged after prominent politicians had been banned from participating in politics.”