NGE, MRA demand justice for Dele Giwa, 40 years after parcel bomb
- The Nigerian Guild of Editors and Media Rights Agenda marked 40 years since Dele Giwa was killed by a parcel bomb in Ikeja, Lagos, on October 19, 1986.
- MRA says the Federal Government has not implemented a February 2024 court order to investigate the murder and prosecute those responsible.
- Both groups say the unresolved case sends a message that attacks on journalists in Nigeria carry no consequences.
Two media bodies have used the 40th anniversary of Dele Giwa's death to press the Federal Government to reopen the case and explain why no one has been held responsible.
Giwa, co-founder and founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine, was killed by a parcel bomb delivered to his home in Ikeja, Lagos, on October 19, 1986. Four decades later, nobody has been prosecuted for the murder.
The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) issued separate statements on Monday, a day after the anniversary, calling for fresh action rather than another round of tributes.
What the two groups are asking for
The NGE, in a statement signed by President Eze Anaba and General Secretary Onuoha Ukeh, urged the authorities to revisit the case, preserve relevant records and examine any credible evidence that may still exist. It said the duty to investigate serious crimes does not expire with time or with changes of government.
"Forty years is a long time to wait for justice," the Guild said, adding that an unresolved murder is "an open wound in the nation's conscience."
The Guild was careful to say it was not calling for anyone to be condemned without evidence. It asked for a credible investigation, not trial by media.
MRA went further, pointing to a court ruling. Its Deputy Executive Director, Ayode Longe, said the group won a judgment at the Federal High Court in Abuja on February 16, 2024, in a suit against the Attorney-General of the Federation. The court ordered the government to investigate Giwa's murder and other unresolved killings of journalists, and to prosecute those responsible.
According to Longe, the government has not shown progress in carrying out that order. He described the failure as a contemptuous disregard for a valid court judgment and asked the Attorney-General, the Nigeria Police Force and other agencies to disclose what they have done so far.
He suggested a systematic review of old investigation files, witness accounts and documentary evidence, and the use of modern forensic techniques where possible.
Why it matters beyond the newsroom
Both groups argued that the case is not only about one journalist. The NGE said Giwa's killing was an attack on the freedom to ask questions and hold those in power accountable, and warned that an unresolved murder could encourage those who target reporters.
MRA said the lack of accountability risks teaching would-be attackers that violence against journalists carries no consequence. It called for stronger protection for media workers and better police response to threats.
The anniversary also came with a book, Dele Giwa's Granite Journalism, unveiled on Monday. The NGE commended Newswatch Plus Limited and Ray Ekpu, the only surviving member of the original Newswatch quartet, for putting together Giwa's writings for the Daily Times, Sunday Concord and Newswatch, alongside tributes from colleagues.
"A parcel bomb may have ended Dele Giwa's life, but it could not extinguish the ideals he represented," the Guild said.
What happens next: The ball is now with the Attorney-General's office and the police, who have been asked to say publicly what steps, if any, have been taken to comply with the 2024 court order. Neither has responded in the statements reported so far.
