In a reflective and emotional opinion piece, writer Stanley Ojah has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the long-standing grievances of individuals linked to the alleged 1995 “phantom coup” case under the regime of late military ruler Sani Abacha.
The writer frames his argument around the unresolved fate of former military officer Olusegun Oloruntoba, who was among those accused of plotting a coup during the Abacha era. He recounts Oloruntoba’s background as a highly trained engineer and military officer, his contributions to indigenous weapons development, and his rise through the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Ojah recalls that tensions following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election Nigeria created an atmosphere of suspicion within the military, which eventually culminated in the 1995 coup allegations. Oloruntoba and several other officers were arrested, tried by a military tribunal, and sentenced to death amid claims of insufficient evidence and political repression.
The article describes alleged torture and prolonged detention of the accused, referencing findings later associated with the Oputa Panel, which concluded that the coup plot was fabricated and that many detainees suffered human rights violations.
Ojah further notes that despite the release of detainees after the death of Abacha and reforms initiated under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, key recommendations—including compensation, official apology, and full exoneration—were never fully implemented.
In the concluding section, the writer directly appeals to President Tinubu, urging him to revisit the case of the alleged coup detainees and offer what he describes as long-overdue justice, recognition, and relief to surviving victims.
He argues that such intervention would provide moral closure to a painful chapter in Nigeria’s military and political history.
