A landmark judgment was delivered today by a Federal High Court in Abuja, directing the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF) to re-open investigations into the assassination of renowned journalist, Dele Giwa, in 1986.
Dele Giwa, the founder of Newswatch Magazine, was brutally murdered on October 19, 1986, in his office in Lagos by a letter bomb. The case has remained unresolved for decades, raising concerns about justice and accountability in the country.
In a ruling against the AGF, Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo emphasized the government’s obligation to prosecute and punish those responsible for the killing of journalists, including Dele Giwa, while performing their duties.
The court’s verdict also extends beyond the Giwa case, mandating the investigation and prosecution of perpetrators involved in the murders of other journalists who lost their lives in the line of duty.
The legal action was initiated by the Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), seeking to uphold the fundamental rights of media practitioners to safety, as guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 and the African Charters on Human Rights.
Justice Ekwo’s judgment underscores the imperative for the Federal Government to prioritize the protection and security of journalists, in accordance with constitutional provisions and international human rights standards.
As part of the ruling, the Federal Government is tasked with ensuring the implementation of measures to safeguard the lives of journalists, as outlined in sections 33 and 39 of the Constitution, as well as Articles 4 and 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
