Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), has denied any role in the assassination of veteran journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch, Dele Giwa, who was killed by a parcel bomb at his home in Lagos on October 19, 1986.
Babangida addressed the long-standing allegations in his newly launched autobiography, A Journey in Service, presented to the public in Abuja on Thursday. He maintained that he had no involvement in Giwa’s murder and expressed hope that the truth would eventually be uncovered.
“The hysteria of the media did not help the investigation of the Giwa murder,” Babangida wrote. “As is typical of the Nigerian media, the direction was marked by an adversarial attitude towards the government. It was an attitude of ‘we versus the government’ that has remained the hallmark of the Nigerian media from its colonial heyday.”
Giwa, a vocal critic of Babangida’s military government, was accused two days before his death of illegally stockpiling arms for a socialist revolution. Security officials later dismissed the allegations as a misunderstanding. However, on the morning of October 19, Giwa received a parcel bearing the seal of the Presidency. When he opened it, the package exploded, killing him instantly.
For decades, many Nigerians have pointed fingers at the Babangida regime, suspecting foul play. However, Babangida insisted that the case remains unsolved.
“When the Obasanjo civilian administration reopened the Giwa case at the Oputa Panel on Human and Civil Rights, I expected the police and lawyers to come forward with new evidence,” he said. “Nothing of such happened. The Giwa murder, like all mysterious crimes, has remained unsolved. I keep hoping it will be uncovered in our lifetime or after us.”
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High-Profile Attendance at Book Launch
Babangida’s book presentation also marked the launch of his presidential library, drawing notable guests from across Africa.
President Bola Tinubu led a delegation that included former presidents and military leaders such as Goodluck Jonathan, Yakubu Gowon, and Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Also in attendance were former Vice Presidents Atiku Abubakar, Namadi Sambo, and Yemi Osinbajo, as well as 2023 presidential candidates Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The keynote address was delivered by former Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, while former Sierra Leonean President Ernest Koroma was also present.
Top business figures, including Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, industrialist Abdulsamad Rabiu, and other influential personalities, graced the occasion.
Governors, traditional rulers, and members of the political elite also attended the event, underscoring Babangida’s continued influence in Nigeria’s political landscape.