DETAILS: Court Orders Re-Opening of Dele Giwa’s Murder Case, Protection of Journalists

In a landmark judgment, a Nigerian court has ordered the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to re-open the prosecution of those responsible for the murder of renowned journalist, Dele Giwa.

The court also mandated the investigation and prosecution of individuals involved in the killings of other journalists in Nigeria.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Ekwo emphasized the AGF’s duty to prosecute and penalize the killers of media practitioners, highlighting the importance of upholding the rule of law in such cases. Dele Giwa, a prominent journalist, was tragically killed on October 19, 1986, in his Lagos office by a letter bomb.

The court’s decision extends beyond the Dele Giwa case, emphasizing the need for justice in all instances where journalists are killed in the line of duty. The ruling also underscores the government’s responsibility to ensure the safety and protection of journalists, by the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights charters.

The case was brought before the court by the Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), which sought the enforcement of the fundamental rights of media practitioners to safety as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.