Three decades of chasing elusive killers

 It is 30 years since ace journalist and founding editor-in-chief of Newswatch magazine Dele Giwa was killed with a parcel bomb. Associate Editor OLUKOREDE YISHAU examines failed efforts to identify and punish the masterminds of the murder Talabi Street, Off Adeniyi Jones Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos ,was where it happened. It was on a Sunday, when Christians were busy worshipping in churches. House 25, where the unprecedented tragedy happened, several years later became a hospital, where doctors saved lives. There, 30 years ago, the founding editor-in-chief of Newswatch magazine, Sunmonu Oladele Giwa, better known as Dele Giwa, was killed in his prime. He was just 39. He lived a memorable life recorded by Pulitzer winning journalist Dele Olojede and Dr. Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo in their controversial book Born to Run. On that scary morning, death, wrapped in an envelope, sneaked away with Giwa. Nigerians were shocked. Reason: Giwa was the first Nigerian to have been killed by a parcel bomb. Until then, many did not know such a killer device existed. He was in his study having a late breakfast with a colleague, Kayode Soyinka, who is the publisher of London-based Africa Today and former governorship aspirant in Ogun State, when death came. Giwa did not die immediately. He was rushed to the hospital where he later died. Amid the rubbles of the television set, louvres, chairs, a table and other domestic appliances, Giwa was quoted as saying, "they've got me!" Giwa, who studied English and Communication Arts at the University of Brooklyn, where he bagged Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees, left a legacy time cannot erase. For the refined journalist, who had a stint with the prestigious New York Times before he was persuaded to return home in 1976, end came in a crazy way and no one has been able to answer the question of who did it? On the fateful Sunday morning, the merchants of death gave the deadly parcel to his then 19-year-old son, Billy, who received it on his behalf. The assailants had vanished from the scene when Giwa attempted to open the parcel and a blast occurred 'tearing open' his lower region. Soyinka, who was the magazine's London Bureau Chief then, suffered perforated eardrums. Giwa died at the First Foundation Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, where he was rushed to after the explosion. Before opening the parcel of death, he was said to have remarked: 'This must be from the president.' The military president at that time was Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. He has denied having anything to do with the murder. Soyinka was also at First Foundation to receive treatment. He was able to return to the UK later. He has lived there since then and comes home regularly on account of his publication, Africa Today. The late Chief Gani Fawehinmi was Giwa's lawyer and the arrowhead of the campaign to hold ex-military President Babangida liable for the death of the first-class journalist. Fawehinmi once got an order to sue two security chiefs - Col. Halilu Akilu and Lt. Col. A.K. Togun - who were the director of Military Intelligence and the deputy director, State Security Service (SSS) under the Babangida military regime. But both officers were exonerated for lack of evidence. He took the case up to the Supreme Court and still lost for lack of evidence. He also tried the Oputa panel. All to no avail. Some years back, a book "Dele Giwa's Murder: The Answered Question", was presented by journalist-cum-lawyer, Mr. Richard Akinnola. Maj. Debo Basorun (rtd.), who was the military press secretary to Babangida, also wrote another book on the subject. In a newspaper interview, Basorun said he was hounded because of the book and the facts it contains on who killed Giwa. In his words: "I was privy to some of the terrible things . when we were in the army. My problem is 2011. I am one of those who know that he is connected to the death of Dele Giwa. That is why they have been trying to kill me. I was sent to do a dirty job in America in respect of Dele Giwa's death. I was sent to cover up what they did. I refused to comply. When I came back, they threw me into jail. Newspapers reported it that time. I protested. The press was on my side then. I was shouting on the roof top that 'these people want to kill me. ' They decided to send me to a unit in Makurdi, which was a Siberia then. I refused to go. Incidentally, the General Staff Headquarters, which was my unit (and Babangida's unit too), issued an order that whoever wanted to leave the army should volunteer. It coincided with what was happening to me. So, I volunteered and resigned. I quoted their order in the resignation letter I sent them. But out of those who resigned then, I was the only person whose resignation letter was rejected. I contacted some attorneys. Alao Aka-Basorun was my lawyer." Many have since resigned to fate. Since security agents have failed to find his killers, not a few look up to some super natural powers to do the magic. Until then, the question remains: Who killed Giwa?  

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