Chidi Odinkalu, a human rights activist and former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, has strongly criticized former military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), over claims made in his recently released autobiography, A Journey in Service.
Odinkalu accused Babangida of making allegations against deceased individuals who are no longer alive to defend themselves, thereby manipulating historical narratives in his favor.
According to reports, Babangida’s military regime remains one of the most controversial in Nigerian history, particularly for the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election won by Chief M.K.O. Abiola, which plunged the nation into political unrest and prolonged military rule.
Additionally, Babangida’s tenure was overshadowed by unresolved cases such as the infamous 1986 parcel bomb assassination of renowned investigative journalist Dele Giwa, who had exposed corruption and human rights violations within the government.
His administration also witnessed multiple coup attempts, resulting in executions and imprisonments of military officers accused of plotting against his government.
In his autobiography, IBB finally admitted that Abiola won the June 12 election, a truth he had evaded for decades. However, he controversially shifted the blame for its annulment onto his late colleague, General Sani Abacha.
Reacting to this, Odinkalu took to 𝕏 to challenge the credibility of Babangida’s claims, accusing him of intentionally delaying the release of his memoir until those he blamed were no longer alive to refute his statements.
Odinkalu described Babangida as the “Grand Commander of the Order of Cowardice,” arguing that the former leader carefully curated a narrative that portrayed himself as a victim while shifting responsibility onto deceased individuals.
He wrote, “Ibrahim Babangida’s book is filled with allegations against dead men & women. He waited until they were all dead & none of them could controvert him & he portrays himself as a victim of all these dead men & women. This damns him even more than he already was as lacking in character.
“The only question that must be pursued by those interested must be how a man so devoid of character & values was allowed to travel so far in the military to the point where, for a generation, he could routinely pick & choose at his whim which soldier could or should rule #Nigeria.
“Conveniently, Babangida, a committed record-keeper, could not produce any contemporaneous records, minutes, notes, or other evidence to corroborate any of the serious claims & allegations he makes about these dead men & women. All hail the Grand Commander of the Order of Cowardice!”