On October 19, 2026 the Newswatch family presented a book titled “Dele Giwa’s granite Journalism” edited by me to the public in Lagos. That book is published to memorialise and immortalise Dele who was the founding Editor -in- Chief of Newswatch. Dele was killed by the use of a parcel bomb sent to him on Sunday October 19, 1986. He was having breakfast in his study with the Newswatch London Bureau Chief, Kayode Soyinka when his son Billy, 17, brought the parcel handed to him by Dele’s security man, Musa Zibo. On top of the parcel was the inscription “From the Office of the C-in-C (Commander in Chief). It was addressed to Chief Dele Giwa eventhough Dele was not a chief. On the parcel was also a note “To be opened by the addressee only.” As Dele looked at the parcel he said to Soyinka “This must be from the President.” The President, General Ibrahim Babangida had sent similar parcels to him before containing his advance speeches. As Dele placed the parcel on his laps and tried to open with his right hand it exploded and smoke filled the room. He was rushed to the First Foundation Medical Centre, Opebi, Ikeja owned by Dr Tosin Ajayi. He died at 12.27pm.
I had spoken to Dele on the phone at about 9 that morning informing him that I was going with my wife to see some loved ones in Surulere. He reminded me of the meeting we scheduled for one pm that day at the office. I assured him I would be back in time for the meeting.
Three days before his assassination Dele had been summoned by the State Security Service (SSS) to appear at their 15 Awolowo Road office in Ikoyi. I decided to accompany him to the meeting. When we got there he was ushered into the office of the Deputy Director of the SSS, Col. A. K. Togun while I waited in the outer office. He came out after about two hours with worry lines in his face. I knew that the handshake had gone beyond the elbow. He said that Togun had peppered him with four allegations. One, that Newswatch was planning the “other side” of the Ebitu Ukiwe story, the story of Babangida’s Chief of General Staff who was removed by Babangida. Newswatch had published a cover story titled “Power Games: Ukiwe loses out” in the October 20 issue of the magazine which was on sale on October 13, 1986.
Two, that Dele had promised to defend Alozie Ogugbuaja, the police superintendent who was suspended following his testimony before the Akanbi panel probing the students’ riot which took place a few months earlier. The allegation was that Dele had promised to give him a job if fired by the police.
Three, that Dele was having discussions with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and students for the purpose of bringing about a socialist revolution in Nigeria.
Four, that Dele was importing arms into the country for the purpose of executing a revolution. For all of these allegations there was no information such as names, dates, places provided as evidence. Nothing, just some wild allegations cooked up to damage Dele’s reputation. Dele was not a socialist in words or deeds. He was not an insurrectionist in words or deeds. He was just a man committed to credible journalism practice.
Of the four allegations the only one that was true was the Ogugbuaja matter. Dele and I had spoken on the phone that if the police decided to fire him we could employ him because he would make a good addition to Newswatch. When the SSS mentioned this as one of the allegations we knew that our two NITEL phones were bugged. NITEL was owned by the Federal Government. I eventually discovered bugging devices in my residence. We also discovered a man who worked for the SSS among our editorial staff who did not disclose the information in his curriculum vitae. When I confronted him about the non-disclosure of his having worked with a security agency he said that the information was not necessary for the job he applied for at Newswatch. I sacked him instantly.
When Dele came out of the meeting with Togun he said: “If they can think this of me, then I am not safe. They are only trying to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it.” When we left the SSS headquarters we went to Chief Gani Fawehinmi, our lawyer, to brief him on what transpired at the SSS office. He told us to write a report on it and that he would take up the matter on Monday. I suggested that we should inform the media about this obvious harassment but Dele said we should allow the lawyer to handle the matter.
The following day, Saturday, Dele, Yakubu Mohammed and I went to visit Mr Wole Adeosun, Managing Director of NAL Merchant Bank who having lunch for the media. After that Chief Segun Osoba, Managing Director of the Daily Times said that the Vice President Augustus Aikhomu wanted to meet the media people. We trooped down there. At that event Dele mentioned what the SSS did to him the day before. Aikhomu said he was aware of it.
While we were away to the island for the Adeosun and Aikhomu events someone called Dele’s residence and said that he was calling on behalf of the Director of the Directorate of Military Intelligence, Brigadier General Halilu Akilu. He asked for Dele. Dele’s wife, Funmi told the caller that Dele had gone to work. Then Akilu called and spoke to Funmi asking for Dele’s whereabout and the address of his residence. Funmi gave him the address. Akilu said to Funmi: “I am not very familiar with Ikeja. Is it after the roundabout?” No, said Funmi. She went on to describe how he could get to the house. Then she instinctively asked why he wanted the home address of her husband. Akilu replied, “The ADC has something for him, an invitation or something like that.”
Dele and Akilu were linked together by Brigadier General Aliyu Mohammed, who was the coordinator of the Federal Government’s security service. He wanted both of them to establish a friendly relationship and take it from there. Their first meeting (Akilu/Dele) ended in a shouting match. Akilu, a fragile-looking man who speaks softly but probably carries a big stick had barked a threat to Dele “I will close down your magazine.” Dele responded, “You will. God help you.”
On October 19, 1986, a Sunday, Dele decided to find out what the several calls from Akilu to his residence the day before were about. Akilu told him on the phone that morning that he should not worry about the SSS allegations. Dele said: “I will worry. It is an attempt to ruin my name. I have already written to my lawyer about it.” Akilu said “Dele, this is not a matter for lawyers. Don’t bother yourself. The matter is now settled.”
When the news of the assassination gripped the nation, the Babangida government panicked and got Aikhomu to call a press conference at which Akilu admitted he called Dele’s residence and asked for the residential address, “with the hope of stopping over at the place on my way to Kano. This was to prove a Hausa adage that if you visit someone in his house, you show him you are really a friend.” On that day, Akilu did not visit Dele’s residence or on any other day. So did he show that he was Dele’s friend? No.
A senior police officer, Mr Abubakar Tsav who investigated the matter gave evidence on this matter at the Oputa panel in July 2001. He said that he had submitted an interim report highlighting his preliminary findings to the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr Chris Omeben. He said that he recommended that Col. Akilu and Col. Togun should be made available for interrogation and voice identification. Nothing happened. They did not make them available for interrogation. They did not permit him to search their offices or residences. And they did not return the case file to him. They just killed the matter. For them the matter was dead, as dead as a dodo.
Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Newswatch indefatigable lawyer, fought for justice for Dele relentlessly and went through all kinds of persecution. A helicopter was always hovering on top of his office, an obvious method of intimidation by the evil men who killed this brilliant journalist.
The Oputa panel completed its work without any of the three men, Babangida, Akilu or Togun appearing to defend their reputation. Instead, they went to court asking the court to stop the panel from compelling them to appear. But the Oputa panel gave its verdict thus: “On General Ibrahim Babangida we are of the view that there is evidence to suggest that he and the two security chiefs Brigadier General Halilu Akilu and Col. A. K. Togun are accountable for the death of Dele Giwa by letter bomb. We recommend that this case be reopened for further investigation in the public interest.”
Oputa panel’s verdict was given 25 years ago. Nothing has happened. The assassination happened 40 years ago. Nothing has happened. Who will bell the cat?
