Forty years after a parcel bomb silenced one of Nigeria’s most fearless journalists, the killers remain unaccountable. Now, the International Press Centre is calling on the government to reopen the case and deliver the justice that has eluded the late Dele Giwa for four decades.

The International Press Centre (IPC) has called on the Nigerian Government and relevant security and prosecutorial authorities to reopen the investigation into the assassination of Dele Giwa, the veteran journalist and founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch Magazine, whose murder remains unresolved 40 years after his death.

The call was made by the IPC through its Safety and Protection of Journalists (SPJ) Hub in a statement issued on Monday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Giwa’s assassination, which occurred on October 19, 1986.

Giwa, who was 39 years old at the time, was killed at his Lagos residence after receiving a parcel bomb in one of the most notorious attacks on the Nigerian press. Four decades later, no one has been criminally held accountable for his death, leaving a dark chapter in the country’s media history without a definitive conclusion.

The IPC described the continued failure to resolve the case as a serious indictment of Nigeria’s commitment to justice, accountability and the protection of journalists, warning that the passage of time must not be allowed to extinguish the pursuit of truth.

Giwa, a former Sunday Editor of National Concord, made significant contributions to Nigerian journalism through his investigative reporting and leadership at Newswatch, where he championed the public’s right to information and the media’s responsibility to hold those in power accountable.

His assassination not only devastated his family, friends and colleagues but also sent a chilling message about the dangers confronting journalists who investigate sensitive issues and challenge those in positions of authority.

Executive Director of the IPC, Lanre Arogundade, described Giwa’s killing as more than a personal tragedy, stressing that it represented an assault on the fundamental principles of journalism and press freedom.

“Forty years without justice is far too long. Silence cannot substitute for accountability, and the passage of time must not become an excuse for abandoning the pursuit of truth,” Arogundade said.

He emphasised that journalists must be able to investigate, question public officials and report matters of public interest without fear of violence, intimidation or retaliation.

Arogundade also questioned the implications of leaving such a high-profile murder unresolved for decades, warning that the failure to deliver justice could further undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions and justice system.

“The failure to bring this case to a credible conclusion has left a painful question hanging over Nigeria's democratic and human rights record: can the killing of a journalist remain unresolved indefinitely without undermining public confidence in the institutions responsible for upholding the law?” he asked.

The IPC urged the Federal Government, the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant investigative and prosecutorial authorities to initiate a credible, independent and thorough investigation into Giwa’s assassination, with a view to establishing the circumstances surrounding his death and bringing anyone found responsible to justice.

The organisation also called for renewed attention to other cases involving murdered journalists whose deaths remain unresolved, stressing the need to confront the culture of impunity surrounding attacks on media professionals.

As Nigeria marks four decades since Giwa’s death, the renewed demand for an investigation serves as a reminder that justice delayed must not become justice permanently denied. His assassination remains a painful symbol of the risks journalists face when they pursue the truth and hold power to account.

Forty years on, the questions surrounding Dele Giwa’s murder remain unanswered. For his family, the journalism community and a nation that claims to uphold press freedom, the demand is clear: reopen the case, uncover the truth and ensure that the killing of a journalist does not remain an unsolved crime forever.