30 Years After the Phantom Coup Verdict: Honoring Colonel RSB Bello-Fadile — A Legacy of Intelligence, Justice, and National Service

ABUJA, NIGERIA — July 14, 1995, will forever remain a defining date in Nigeria's military and political history. It was the day several officers, including Colonel RSB Bello-Fadile, stood before a Special Military Tribunal under charges stemming from the infamous "Phantom Coup" allegation. Shackled and paraded as enemies of the state, they faced a system where loyalty was criminalized, justice was sidelined, and verdicts were prewritten.

Thirty years later, OSRS pauses to honor not just the survival, but the remarkable legacy of one of Nigeria's most brilliant military minds and human rights champions, Colonel RSB Bello-Fadile (rtd). From the crucible of persecution emerged a man whose life reflects unwavering commitment to national security, legal integrity, and democratic resilience.

Colonel Bello-Fadile played a formative role in the early development of military intelligence in the Nigerian Army. A trained lawyer and former Director of Military Intelligence, he epitomized the blend of strategic acumen and constitutional awareness necessary for a stable, secure, and democratic nation. Though the tribunal sentenced him to death by firing squad, divine mercy and the enduring strength of justice intervened. His sentence was commuted, and after years of unjust confinement, he was freed, reinstated, and vindicated.

Since his retirement, Colonel Bello-Fadile has not retreated into silence or bitterness. Instead, he has become a pillar of Nigeria's civil society, contributing his intellect, time, and experience to the advancement of human rights and human security across Africa. He continues to advise numerous institutions, including Ogun Security Research and Strategic Services (OSRS), where he serves as a pro bono advisor and resource person.

In recognition of his journey and contribution, Colonel Bello-Fadile recently published his memoir, "Nine Lives," which was launched in Abuja to an audience of scholars, civil society leaders, and intelligence experts. Dr. Oludare Ogunlana, founder of OSRS, attended as a guest, describing the work as "a vital contribution to the history of Nigerian intelligence and the enduring fight for justice and democracy."

As we mark the 30th anniversary of the Phantom Coup verdict, OSRS calls upon Nigeria and the broader African leadership to reflect deeply on the lessons of that era. Intelligence must serve the people, not power. Democracy must be protected from fear. And human security, encompassing dignity, justice, and opportunity, must be the cornerstone of national development.

In the words of Colonel Bello-Fadile, "Man may sit in judgment, but God alone gives the final verdict." His life is a testimony to that truth. He was meant to be forgotten, but history now remembers him not only as a soldier and spy but as a defender of justice, a legal luminary, and a quiet architect of hope.

Let July 14 serve as more than a commemoration. Let it ignite a movement toward African leadership that allows young people to dream boldly within their homeland, rather than seeking survival as refugees beyond its borders.

OSRS salutes Colonel RSB Bello-Fadile—a patriot, a strategist, a survivor, and above all, a servant of the people. His legacy challenges us to build a Nigeria where truth is not treason, where service is not betrayal, and where justice is not a privilege, but a right.

It can only be God. It must also be us.