The military administration of General Ibrahim Babangida charged Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti, Mr. Femi Falana, and Chief Gani Fawehinmi with treason on June 15, 1992, at Gwagwalada Chief Magistrates’ court in Abuja. In relation to the public demonstration against the regime’s anti-democratic agenda and structural adjustment program, he and other protestors were taken into custody. Assuming Beko and other others were aware of Babangida’s hidden plans.
Babangida threw out Chief MKO Abiola’s most equitable and free election in the country in June 1993. The population was inspired to rebel against the military by Beko’s CD. He was a co-founder and chairman of Campaign for Democracy, which was founded as a result of the lesson learned from this.
Beko was detained once more in 1995 on suspicion of treason after being a conspiratorial accomplice to the alleged coup against General Sani Abacha. Along with other journalists like Kunle Ajibade, Senator Chris Anyanwu, George Mbah, and Ben Charles Obi, he was sentenced to life in prison. Beko and other prisoners were let free following Abacha’s 1998 death. His crime at the time was aiding in the distribution of a statement made by a soldier who had been detained in connection with the plot.
Lung cancer claimed Beko’s life in 2006.
