I Did Not Kill Nigerian Journalist Dele Giwa, Press Hysteria Against Me a Conspiracy-General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, Former Military President
…Fumes: ‘I am Innocent of allegation, Truth Will Surely Prevail’
*’I have No Idea of a Parcel Bomb bearing any Presidential Seal handed former Newswatch magazine’s Editor-in-Chief in his home in Ikeja, Lagos State’
*”Two days before the incident, a senior official of the Directorate of Military Intelligence, had accused Giwa of illegally importing, stockpiling arms and ammunition to stage a socialist revolution in Nigeria. Alarmed at the charge, Giwa quickly briefed his lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi”-Oputa Panel on Human and Civil Rights
*”A security chief, Colonel Halilu Akilu, called to reassure Giwa that the accusation against him had been cleared, and that Giwa should think nothing of it. A few hours later, a government emissary arrived at Giwa’s Ikeja residence. His son, Billy, collected the parcel and handed it to his father, who was seated at the dining table in the company of Kayode Soyinka, the London correspondent of Newswatch, who was visiting from the UK. The envelope bore the seal of the Presidency and was marked ‘To be opened by addressee only’-RAY EKPU, Giwa’s Deputy at Newswatch Magazine
*BY YEMI IBIRONKE/POLITICAL Correspondent, Naija Standard Newspaper, Abuja, & TOMMY FINCHEL/LONDON’s Senior Correspondent, Naija Standard Newspaper
THE GHOST of Nigeria’s Ace Journalist, DELE GIWA, then Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Newswatch Magazine seems to tormenting a former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), who has denied and absolved himself from the death of veteran newsman.
IBB claimed he did not kill top Nigerian Journalist Dele Giwa, and that the press hysteria was a conspiracy against him, revealing he is innocent of the allegation and that truth will prevail eventually.
“I have No Idea of a Parcel Bomb bearing any Presidential Seal handed former Newswatch magazine’s Editor-in-Chief in his home in Ikeja, Lagos State”, an insider in his circle in Minna who preferred anonymity confided in this reporter he had IBB said.
Dismissing the longtime allegation that he was involved in Giwa’s death, Babangida, in his autobiography, “A Journey in Service,” presented in Abuja on Thursday, noted that he expected that one day, the truth would be uncovered.
He said, “The hysteria of the media did not help the investigation of the Giwa murder. As is typical of the Nigerian media, the direction was marked by an adversarial attitude towards the government, which had remained the hallmark of the Nigerian media from its colonial heyday.
“It was an attitude of ‘we versus the government’ that has remained today. It is a situation in which the government is adjudged guilty even before the evidence in a case is adduced.
“When the Obasanjo civilian administration reopened the Giwa case at the Oputa Panel on Human and Civil Rights, I expected that the police and lawyers would come forward with new evidence as to their findings on the Giwa murder over the years.
“Nothing of such happened. The Giwa, like all mysterious murders, has remained unsolved after so many years. I keep hoping it will be uncovered in our lifetime or after us. More often than not, mysterious crimes are solved long after their commission.”
Giwa, a vocal critic of Babangida’s military government, was assassinated via a parcel bomb in his home in Ikeja, Lagos State on October 19, 1986.
Two days before the incident, a senior official of the Directorate of Military Intelligence, had accused Giwa of illegally importing and stockpiling arms and ammunition to stage a socialist revolution in Nigeria.
Alarmed at the charge, Giwa quickly briefed his lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi.
The following day, a security chief, Colonel Halilu Akilu, called to reassure Giwa that the accusation had resulted from a misunderstanding, that the matter had been cleared, and that Giwa should think nothing of it.
According to Ray Ekpu, Giwa’s colleague at Newswatch, a few hours later, a government emissary arrived at Giwa’s Ikeja residence. His son, Billy, collected the parcel and handed it to his father, who was seated at the dining table in the company of Kayode Soyinka, the London correspondent of Newswatch, who was visiting from the UK. The envelope bore the seal of the Presidency and was marked “To be opened by addressee only.”
IBB’S public presentation of the autobiography also witnessed the launch of Babangida’s presidential library.
It was attended by President Bola Tinubu, who led former presidents, former military leaders, and captains of industry, including Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
Also in attendance were former Vice Presidents Atiku Abubakar, Namadi Sambo and Yemi Osinbajo, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 poll and former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi and the Presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, and former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The keynote speaker was Nana Akufo-Addo, former President of Ghana and his counterpart, the former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Koroma, also graced the occasion.
Governors, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, industrialists, technocrats and traditional rulers were also in attendance.
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