Who killed Dele Giwa: 40 years without answers

Forty years after the assassination of Dele Giwa, journalism veterans are shifting their focus from demanding justice to celebrating his fearless journalism and urging a new generation to uphold his legacy, reports Wale Akinselure. On October 19, 1986, Giwa, co-founder of Newswatch magazine, was killed by a parcel bomb in his Lagos home.

Giwa and his colleague Kayode Soyinka were in his study when the parcel arrived, delivered by a Peugeot 404 bearing an instruction to be opened only by Giwa. The explosion severely injured Giwa, who survived for 30 minutes before succumbing to his wounds. Giwa, known for his investigative journalism and criticism of those in power, had reportedly expressed fears of his life being in danger in the days leading up to his death.

Rumors also linked his assassination to investigations into the alleged involvement of drug couriers.