The federal government has requested the Court of Appeal in Abuja to grant it extra time to appeal a February 2024 judgment ordering the reopening of the investigation into the murder of journalist Dele Giwa. The request comes after the 90-day window for filing an appeal expired.
Giwa, the founding editor-in-chief of Newswatch magazine, was killed by a parcel bomb at his Ikeja residence on October 19, 1986. The High Court ruling followed a suit filed by the Media Rights Agenda (MRA), which seeks justice not only for Giwa but also for other journalists who were murdered over the years, including Bolade Fasisi, Edward Olalekan, Omololu Falobi, Godwin Agbroko, Abayomi Ogundeji, and Edo Sule-Ugbagwu.
In a motion filed on December 23, 2025, A.B. Mohammed, representing the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), asked the Court of Appeal to extend the time for filing the appeal. The supporting affidavit, deposed by Kelechi Ohaeri of the Ministry of Justice, argued that the appeal is necessary in the interest of justice and confirmed that proposed Notice and Grounds of Appeal have already been drafted.
The motion underscores the federal government’s intent to challenge the High Court’s decision, emphasizing that reopening the probe is a matter of significant public and legal interest.
