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40 Years After Dele Giwa’s Murder, NGE Demands Fresh Probe, Says ‘Justice Must Not Be Abandoned’
40 Years After Dele Giwa’s Murder, NGE Demands Fresh Probe, Says ‘Justice Must Not Be Abandoned’
NGE calls on authorities to revisit the unresolved murder of journalist Dele Giwa, 40 years after his death.
The Newswatch co-founder was assassinated at his Lagos home on October 19, 1986, but no one has been brought to justice for the crime.
The Guild says it is not seeking the condemnation of anyone without evidence but wants all credible evidence and records examined.
NGE warns that the unresolved killing remains a symbol of impunity and a troubling message to journalists investigating corruption and abuses of power.
October 20, () – The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has called on relevant authorities to reopen efforts to establish the truth behind the assassination of renowned journalist and co-founder of Newswatch magazine, Dele Giwa, 40 years after his death.
Giwa was killed by a parcel bomb delivered to his home on October 19, 1986. Despite investigations over the years, the perpetrators of the murder have never been brought to justice.
In a statement on Monday to mark the 40th anniversary of Giwa’s assassination, NGE President, Eze Anaba, and General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh, described the unresolved case as a painful test of Nigeria’s commitment to press freedom, public accountability and the rule of law.
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The Guild said the passage of four decades should not lead to the case being abandoned or consign Giwa’s murder to history.
“Forty years is a long time to wait for justice. It is an unconscionably long time for a nation that claims to uphold the rule of law,” the Guild said.
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It urged relevant authorities to examine any credible evidence that may still be available, preserve relevant records and pursue every lawful avenue towards determining the circumstances surrounding Giwa’s death and identifying those responsible.
The Guild, however, cautioned against trial by media, stressing that its demand was for a credible investigation rather than the condemnation of individuals without evidence.
“We are not calling for trial by media. We are not asking anyone to be condemned without evidence. We are demanding that a grave crime against a Nigerian citizen, a distinguished journalist and the freedom of the press should not remain an enduring symbol of impunity,” it said.
The NGE described Giwa as a journalist of “uncommon audacity, intellectual rigour and literary elegance”, saying his work demonstrated that Nigerian journalism could interrogate those in power fearlessly while maintaining professional standards.
According to the Guild, Giwa understood journalism as a public trust rather than an instrument for flattering those in authority.
It said his assassination therefore represented more than the killing of an individual journalist, describing it as an attack on the freedom to ask questions, expose wrongdoing and hold public officials accountable.
The Guild expressed concern over the implications of the unresolved case for journalists currently investigating corruption, abuses of power and the activities of influential individuals and organisations.
It said the failure to bring Giwa’s killers to justice could send a troubling message to media practitioners and reinforced the need for stronger protection of journalists and effective investigations whenever crimes were committed against them.
Giwa’s Legacy
The NGE commended NEWSWATCH Plus Limited and its head, Ray Ekpu, the only surviving member of the original Newswatch quartet, for preserving Giwa’s legacy through the publication.
It said the effort would help ensure that Giwa’s contribution to Nigerian journalism continued to inspire future generations of media practitioners.
The Guild also used the anniversary to call on contemporary journalists and editors to reflect on the state of the profession, particularly the need to maintain independence from political and commercial interests.
It said the pursuit of justice for Giwa required more than annual commemorations, provocative headlines or dramatic public appearances, but demanded verification, courage, independence, fairness and commitment to the truth.
“Courage without accuracy can become recklessness; independence without ethics can become irresponsibility,” the Guild said.
It urged editors to protect newsroom integrity, publishers to resist intimidation and journalists to maintain professional discipline amid growing disinformation, political propaganda, economic pressures and the weaponisation of social media.
The Guild also called on public authorities to tolerate media scrutiny and security agencies to protect journalists from threats and attacks.
It said press freedom required more than constitutional guarantees, insisting that it also depended on responsible journalism, independent media institutions and effective enforcement of the law.
‘Remembrance Without Action Risks Accommodating Injustice’
Dele Giwa
The NGE warned against reducing Giwa’s memory to annual commemorations without concrete efforts to address the circumstances surrounding his death.
“Remembrance without action risks becoming an elaborate way of accommodating injustice,” it said.
The Guild called for Giwa’s professional ideals to be taught in journalism schools, discussed in newsrooms and preserved in Nigeria’s historical record. It also urged younger journalists to appreciate the sacrifices made by earlier generations in defending press freedom.
According to the Guild, the defence of press freedom should not be left solely to journalists because attacks on journalists ultimately threaten citizens’ access to reliable information.
It urged successive governments to recognise that the responsibility to investigate serious crimes does not disappear because of the passage of time or changes in political leadership.
The Guild said Giwa’s legacy should remain both a monument to professional courage and a reminder that crimes against journalists must not become permanent symbols of impunity.
“A parcel bomb may have ended Dele Giwa’s life, but it could not extinguish the ideals he represented. Dele Giwa is gone, but the questions his murder left behind remain alive. The man was silenced; the search for justice must not be,” the Guild said.
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