Former military president, Ibrahim Babangida, has revisited the controversial assassination of investigative journalist Dele Giwa, maintaining that government involvement in the tragic event was illogical. In his reflections, Babangida described Giwa’s murder as “wicked and cruel,” acknowledging its profound impact on the nation and his personal distress over losing a valued friend.
Giwa, a fearless journalist and founding editor of Newswatch magazine, was killed in 1986 by a parcel bomb—a crime that remains unsolved decades later. Dismissing claims that the attack had government backing, Babangida labeled such accusations as “cheap and foolish,” questioning why an official operation would deliberately leave an incriminating trail.
He criticized the Nigerian media for fostering an adversarial stance that, according to him, obstructed the investigation. “The hysteria of the media did not help,” Babangida stated. “The narrative was set as ‘we versus the government,’ making it impossible for objective investigations to thrive.”
The former leader claimed that his administration had ordered a rigorous probe, requiring daily updates from security agencies. However, he asserted that the legal and political dimensions introduced by activist lawyer Gani Fawehinmi and other opposition figures further complicated efforts to uncover the truth.
“What many failed to see,” he argued, “is that crimes, even under a military regime, can be committed by individuals or groups not directly linked to the government.” He warned that politicizing criminal investigations often benefits the actual perpetrators, allowing them to evade justice.
Despite various inquiries and public outcries over the years, the identity of Giwa’s killers remains a mystery—one shrouded in controversy, speculation, and unanswered questions.
