Daniel Etim Effiong Reveals How His Father Escaped Execution and Spent 34 Years Behind Bars
Nollywood actor Daniel Etim Effiong opens up about his father’s harrowing ordeal during Nigeria’s military era. In 1985, Retired Lt. Col. Moses Effiong was swept up in the alleged Vatsa coup plot. He was tried by a military tribunal, sentenced to death by firing squad and then spared at the last moment. Despite his innocence, Moses Effiong served 34 years in prison. He finally secured a presidential pardon in 2020, while General Mamman Vatsa received a posthumous pardon in 2025. The actor shared these details in a recent interview on Diary of a Naija Girl, reflecting on his father’s resilience and the enduring impact of past injustices.
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