40 Years after Dele Giwa’s murder, IPC lists nine slain journalists, demands justice

The International Press Centre (IPC) has called on the Federal Government and law enforcement agencies to reopen investigations into the murders of Nigerian journalists, listing nine additional cases that remain unresolved, 40 years after the assassination of veteran journalist Dele Giwa.

The centre’s Safety and Protection of Journalists Hub made the call as Nigeria marked the 40th anniversary of Giwa’s death on October 19, 2026, urging authorities to ensure accountability for journalists killed in the line of duty.

Giwa, the founding editor-in-chief of Newswatch magazine, was killed on October 19, 1986, when a parcel bomb exploded at his residence in Lagos. He was 39 years old.

In a statement issued by IPC Executive Director Lanre Arogundade and made available to journalists by the centre’s Press Freedom Officer, Melody Akinjiyan, the organisation said the failure to resolve the assassination remained a serious test of Nigeria’s commitment to justice, accountability and press freedom.

The nine other journalists listed by the IPC are Bayo Ohu of The Guardian, killed on September 20, 2009; Nathan S. Dabak and Sunday Gyang Bwede of The Light Bearer, killed on April 24, 2010; Zakariya Isa of the Nigeria Television Authority, killed on October 22, 2011; and Enenche Akogwu of Channels Television, killed on January 20, 2012.

The list also includes Maxwell Nashan of the Federal Radio Corporation, killed on January 15, 2020; Alex Ogbu of The Regent Africa Time Magazine, killed on January 21, 2020; Emmanuel Adeyemi of The Sun, killed on October 26, 2020; Titus Badejo of Naija FM, killed on June 19, 2021; and Tordue Salem of Vanguard, killed on November 11, 2021.

The IPC urged the Federal Government, the Nigeria Police Force and relevant investigative and prosecutorial authorities to pursue credible, independent investigations into Giwa’s assassination and the other cases.

It also called for historical records, previous investigative findings and other available evidence to be reviewed as part of renewed efforts to establish the circumstances surrounding the killings and identify those responsible.

“Forty years without justice is far too long. Silence cannot substitute for accountability, and the passage of time must not become an excuse for abandoning the pursuit of truth,” Arogundade said.

The organisation warned against reducing Giwa’s memory to annual commemorations and speeches without concrete action to resolve his killing.

It said the safety of journalists was essential to press freedom, transparency and democratic accountability, adding that media professionals must be able to investigate public affairs and report in the public interest without fear of violence or intimidation.

Giwa’s assassination remains one of Nigeria’s most prominent unresolved attacks on a journalist. The IPC said resolving the case and pursuing accountability for other murdered journalists would send a stronger message that violence against media professionals would not go unpunished.