40 years after Dele Giwa’s murder: Justice must not be abandoned, says NGE

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has called on relevant authorities to revisit the unresolved assassination of renowned journalist, Dele Giwa, insisting that the passage of 40 years must not extinguish the quest for justice.

Giwa, a co-founder of Newswatch magazine and one of Nigeria’s most influential journalists, was killed by a parcel bomb delivered to his home on October 19, 1986. Four decades after the incident, his killers have not been brought to justice.

In a statement on Monday by its President, Eze Anaba and General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh, to mark 40 years anniversary of Giwa’s murder, the Guild described the unresolved murder as a painful test of Nigeria’s commitment to press freedom, public accountability and the rule of law.

The NGE said the country could not afford to allow the case to disappear into 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,” it said.

The Guild urged the appropriate authorities to examine credible evidence that might still be available, preserve relevant records and pursue every lawful avenue towards establishing the truth about Giwa’s death.

The media professional body, however, cautioned against trial by media, stressing that it was not seeking the condemnation of anyone without evidence but demanding a credible investigation into a grave crime against a journalist and press freedom.

“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,” the Guild said.

The NGE described Giwa as a journalist of uncommon audacity, intellectual rigour and literary elegance, whose work demonstrated that Nigerian journalism could be fearless in interrogating power while maintaining high standards of professional excellence.

According to the Guild, Giwa understood that journalism was neither a public relations department for those in authority nor an instrument for flattering the powerful, but a public trust.

It said the late journalist’s assassination was not merely the killing of an individual but an attack on the freedom to ask questions, expose wrongdoing and hold those in authority accountable.

The NGE also expressed concern about the implications of the unresolved murder for journalists investigating corruption, probing abuses of power or exposing the activities of influential interests.

It said the failure to bring the perpetrators to justice sent a troubling message to media practitioners and underscored the need for stronger protection of journalists and effective investigations whenever crimes were committed against them.

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 publication would ensure that Giwa’s voice and contribution to journalism continued to inspire generations of media practitioners.

Beyond remembering Giwa, the Guild challenged contemporary journalists and editors to reflect on the state of the profession, particularly its independence from political and commercial interests.

The NGE said the quest for justice for Giwa demanded more than provocative headlines or dramatic public appearances, but requires verification, courage, independence, fairness and a commitment to truth.

“Courage without accuracy can become recklessness; independence without ethics can become irresponsibility,” the Guild said, adding that journalism worth defending must be both fearless and scrupulous, independent and accountable.

The NGE urged editors to protect newsroom integrity, publishers to resist intimidation and journalists to uphold professional discipline, especially amid growing disinformation, political propaganda, economic pressures and the weaponisation of social media.

It also called on public authorities to tolerate scrutiny and security agencies to protect media practitioners from threats and attacks, stressing that press freedom required more than constitutional guarantees, insisting that it must be supported by responsible journalism, independent media institutions and the effective enforcement of laws.

The Guild further warned against reducing Giwa’s memory to annual commemorations without concrete efforts to address the circumstances of his death.

“Remembrance without action risks becoming an elaborate way of accommodating injustice,” the Guild said.

The elite media group called for Giwa’s professional ideals to be taught in journalism schools, discussed in newsrooms and preserved in the national historical record, while urging younger journalists to appreciate the sacrifices made by earlier generations in defending press freedom.

It said the defence of press freedom was not the exclusive responsibility of journalists but a public cause, because attacks on journalists also threatened citizens’ right to reliable information.

The Guild urged successive governments to recognise that the responsibility to investigate serious crimes did not expire with the passage of time or changes in political leadership.

It said Giwa’s legacy should serve both as a monument to professional courage and a reminder that crimes against journalists must not become permanent symbols of impunity.

According to the Guild, “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.”