Nollywood actor Daniel Etim-Effiong has revealed details about the arrest and death sentence of his father during the military regime of President Ibrahim Babangida. The incident occurred when Etim-Effiong was one year old, and his father was implicated in a coup plot after being informed by a close associate in the army. That associate, planning to overthrow Babangida, had shared the plot with Etim-Effiong's father, who then faced a personal dilemma about whether to report the plan. After the coup attempt was exposed, the associate was arrested and disclosed that he had confided in Etim-Effiong's father, leading to the father's arrest. He was subsequently tried and sentenced to death by firing squad. Etim-Effiong described the ordeal as a harrowing chapter in his family's history, noting that his father ultimately survived the execution. The actor shared this family experience during an appearance on the 'Diary of a Naija Girl' podcast, where he recounted the events as they were relayed to him.
Daniel Etim-Effiong's father was sentenced to death for knowing about a coup plot but not reporting it, yet the friend who confided in him triggered the exposure by naming him under questioning. If loyalty among conspirators collapses so quickly, the state's reliance on such confessions to root out treason appears deeply flawed. The survival of Etim-Effiong's father, while fortunate, does not explain why one man was condemned for silence while another's betrayal became evidence. Nigerians named in such shadowy accusations during military rule often carried the burden long after sentences were served or commuted.
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