VATSA'S COUP EXECUTION: The Man BEN EKELE, Wing Commander NAF (35 Years In Mind).

At the time he was captured on Dec seventeenth, 1985 and charged for scheme to commit conspiracy, Wing Commander Ben Ekele was 36 years of age and an Igala from Kogi State, he was a Fighter Pilot and Commander of the Air Defense Group based at the NAF Base Makurdi, a hounded flight pilot Air Force official in the Nigeria Air Force, best military pilot in Nigeria, Africa and third on the planet during his time.

He started his flying vocation in 1969 after finishing of essential flying preparation. In 1971 he was conveyed to the functional transformation group first on the Czech made L-29 Delphin, then, at that point, the MiG 15, and afterward on to the MiG 17. He went to the Soviet Union in 1974 for change to the MiG 21 (preparing and warrior adaptations).

From 1976 to 1977 he was shipped off the Royal AirForce in Britain where he qualified on the Jet Provost Marks 4 and 5 and furthermore fled contender and Hawker Siddeley Hawk, as well as going to a weapons business course. Rocket preparing occurred at weapon camps in Sardinia, Italy and the west shoreline of Wales (Abeforth).

From September 1977 until December 1980, Ben Ekele set up Nigeria's most memorable Mig 21 functional change unit as the Officer Commanding. Ekele prepared for all intents and purposes the whole original of privately prepared Nigerian MiG 21 pilots. From December 1980 until December 1981 he went to the Joint Services Staff College in Wellington India.

At the point when he returned from India he was at the same time delegated the Staff Officer, Operations Strike Group and the Officer Commanding the Operational Conversion Unit and the Air Defense Unit all situated in Makurdi. Then, at that point, Squadron Leader Ekele was the ground observer during the go by of AirForce jets at the 1982 Independence march in Abuja, while then Major Iyorshe coordinated the ground march. After the Buhari overthrow of Dec 1983, Ekele was advanced and turned into the Commander of the consolidated Strike Group (including MiG 21s for interference/air safeguard and the SEPECAT Jaguar for Ground Attack/Strike) and NAF Station Commandant. On November 11, 1984 the Strike Group was parted into Strike and Air Defense bunches separately, freeing Ekele from synchronous control of the two gatherings of airplane. Another Station Commandant was selected in the rearrangement.

Wing Commander Ekele participated in a few AirCraft Acquisition Evaluation stumbles for the benefit of Nigeria. In 1978 he was in the group that surveyed the French Mirage F-1. In 1980 he was in the group that assessed the Sia Machetti 260, the Agusta 109 helicopter and the MB339 fly mentor. In September 1984 he went to the USSR to really get to know the new MiG 21B air-prevalence warrior which Nigeria had gained. During that visit he likewise partook in dealings with the Russians to buy more current bombs for the MiGs. Obviously the Russians had been providing Nigeria with WW2 stock bombs with enormous profile - which expanded fuel utilization simply for flying during activities.

In Nov 1984 he was in the US assessing the F-20 Tiger Shark. In 1985 he was shipped off India to assess the HP 34 Hindustan Aeronautic Trainer (Indian variant of the Agusta).

During the Nigeria-Chad line struggle of 1983 Ekele drove a strike airplane bunch that straffed islands in the Kinasara region of the Chad bowl, on the side of the 21st Armored Brigade to repulse the Chadian intrusion. He likewise directed the AirForce separation during Operation SeaDog in Calabar - a joint activity intended to test reactions to circumstances in the Bakassi region. Strangely Lt. Col. Bitiyong was an eyewitness during that activity.

He was captured in Benue state Airforce base in Dec 17, 1985 for being important for the arrangement to oust IBB's Gov't and was executed close by 12 different officials in March 5, 1986 by Firing Squad.

May his spirit keep on finding happiness in the hereafter.