NGE, MRA demand justice for Dele Giwa, 40 years after parcel bomb
- Di Nigerian Guild of Editors and Media Rights Agenda mark 40 years since Dele Giwa die by parcel bomb for Ikeja, Lagos, on October 19, 1986.
- MRA talk say Federal Government never carry out court order from February 2024 to investigate di murder and prosecute those responsible.
- Both groups talk say di unresolved case dey send message say attacks on journalists for Nigeria no get consequence.
Two media bodies don use di 40th anniversary of Dele Giwa death to press Federal Government to reopen di case and explain why nobody never hold responsible.
Giwa, co-founder and founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine, dem kill am by parcel bomb wey dem deliver to im house for Ikeja, Lagos, on October 19, 1986. Four decades later, nobody never prosecute anybody for di murder.
Di Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) and di Media Rights Agenda (MRA) issue separate statements on Monday, one day after di anniversary, dey call for fresh action instead of another round of tributes.
Wetin di two groups dey ask for
Di NGE, for statement wey President Eze Anaba and General Secretary Onuoha Ukeh sign, urge di authorities to revisit di case, preserve relevant records and examine any credible evidence wey fit still dey. E talk say di duty to investigate serious crimes no dey expire with time or with changes of government.
"Forty years na long time to wait for justice," di Guild talk, adding say unresolved murder na "open wound in di nation conscience."
Di Guild careful to talk say e no dey call for anybody to be condemned without evidence. E ask for credible investigation, not trial by media.
MRA go further, point to court ruling. Im Deputy Executive Director, Ayode Longe, talk say di group win judgment for Federal High Court for Abuja on February 16, 2024, for suit against Attorney-General of di Federation. Di court order di government to investigate Giwa murder and other unresolved killings of journalists, and to prosecute those responsible.
According to Longe, di government never show progress in carrying out dat order. He describe di failure as contemptuous disregard for valid court judgment and ask di Attorney-General, di Nigeria Police Force and other agencies to disclose wetin dem don do so far.
He suggest systematic review of old investigation files, witness accounts and documentary evidence, and di use of modern forensic techniques where possible.
Why e matter beyond di newsroom
Both groups argue say di case no be only about one journalist. Di NGE talk say Giwa killing na attack on di freedom to ask questions and hold those in power accountable, and warn say unresolved murder fit encourage those wey dey target reporters.
MRA talk say di lack of accountability risk teaching would-be attackers say violence against journalists no get consequence. E call for stronger protection for media workers and better police response to threats.
Di anniversary also come with book, Dele Giwa's Granite Journalism, wey dem unveil on Monday. Di NGE commend Newswatch Plus Limited and Ray Ekpu, di only surviving member of di original Newswatch quartet, for putting together Giwa writings for di Daily Times, Sunday Concord and Newswatch, alongside tributes from colleagues.
"A parcel bomb fit don end Dele Giwa life, but e no fit extinguish di ideals he represent," di Guild talk.
Wetin happen next: Di ball now dey with Attorney-General office and di police, wey dem ask to talk publicly wetin steps, if any, dem don take to comply with di 2024 court order. Neither of dem never respond for di statements wey dem report so far.
