DELE GIWA
The murder of the founding editor of Newswatch, Dele Giwa, on October 19, 1986 can be said to have triggered a boom of high profile murders which are yet to be unraveled by the police. The colourful and celebrated journalist died via a parcel bomb.
ALFRED REWANE
Elder statesman and NADECO financier, Pa Alfred Rewane, was murdered at his Ikeja, Lagos home in 1994. The case has been on since with the trial of suspects who pleaded not guilty to the heinous crime. An avowed critic of military dictatorship, Rewane was also a big businessman.
KUDIRAT ABIOLA
Wife of acclaimed winner of Nigeria presidential election held on June 12, 1993, Mrs. Kudirat Abiola was also felled by assassin’s bullets very close to the Lagos-Ibadan Express toll gate in 1994.
Late General Sani Abacha’s boy, Hamzat Al-Mustapha and others were being tried for the politically motivated murder.
BOLA IGE
Former Governor of Oyo State and later, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige, was also murdered under mysterious circumstances.
That was on December 23, 2001. He was killed at his residence at Ibadan, Oyo State. His family have since given up on the case resigning themselves to fate.
MARSHAL HARRY
Incidents of politically motivated killings continued in the South-South with the murder of All Nigeria Peoples Party chieftain, Chief Marshal Harry, on March 5, 2003. Like Ige and Rewane, he was killed at home. Nobody is serving any jail term for the crime.
FUNSHO WILLIAMS
Death crept into the Centre of Excellence on July 2006. The victim was Lagos PDP governorship aspirant, Engineer Funsho Williams. He was killed at his Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos home. The police are yet to identify his killers, about 8 years after.
AYO DARAMOLA
Former World Bank consultant and PDP governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Dr. Ayo Daramola, was also murdered in 2006. The police are still investigating the murder.
DIPO DINA
The circle was upped again on Monday, January 25, 2010, as suspected assassins shot and killed Otunba Dipo Dina. The late politician was the AC governorship candidate in 2007, popularly called DD-Direct, the accountant met his death around Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State.
GODWIN AGBROKO
The death of chairman, This Day Editorial Board, Mr. Godwin Agboroko, was another challenge to the police. His killers, till date, have not been unmasked.
OBI WALI
The seed of murder was sowed in the Niger Delta region of Nigerian when Ikwere, River State born politician of progressive inclination, Dr. Obi Wali, was brutally murdered in his Port Harcourt residence. Although the police questioned his wife back then in the early 90s, the case died just like that.
AMINOSARI DIKIBO
The obnoxious wind of death has never stopped blowing in the South as another big politician. Chief Aminasoari Dikibo, was also killed on February 6, 2004. The killers of the PDP National Vice Chairman (South South) were never apprehended, though the police allegedly adopted a face-saving tactics of parading some armed robbers as the suspects.
OGBONNAYA UCHE
It was the turn of South East on February 8, 2003. That was sad day unknown gunmen killed Chief Ogbonnaya Uche, ANPP senatorial candidate for Orlu zone at his Owerri,. Imo State home. His killers are yet to be brought to book.
ANDREW AGOM
A member of PDP Board of Trustees and former boss of Nigeria Airways, Chief Andrew Agom, was also killed on March 4, 2004. Agom was on the entourage of the former Benue State governor, Senator George Akume, when the ugly incident happened.
IGWE BARNABAS
The Onitsha branch chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Chief Igwe Barnabas, was felled by suspected assassins’ bullets on September 10, 2002. He was killed alongside his wife, Mrs. Abigail Amaka Barnabas.
CHARLES NSIEGBE
Again, on November 21, 2009, another politician, this time a political associate of Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, Chief Charles Nsiegbe, was wasted in the street of Port Harcourt.
The Nigeria Police are still running from pillar to post to find a clue to the brutal murder that shocked the good people of Rivers State and the nation at large.
ABAYOMI OGUNDEJI
Another ThisDay journalist, Mr. Abayomi Ogundeji, was murdered on August 17, 2008. Though the police are alleging armed robbery, those who know better are insisting that his death may have been politically motivated
Some cases of unresolved political assassinations in Nigeria
Dele Giwa October 19, 1986 Lagos Parcel bomb Unresolved
Babatunde Elegbede May 5, 1994 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Lekan Owolabi March 1995 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Captain Tunde Ashafa June 11, 1995 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Mr. Alfred Rewane October 6, 1995 Lagos Shot Unresolved
David Izegwere December 1995 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Kayode Awosanya January 1996 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Tajudeen Abiola (Mrs.) February 9, 1996 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Alhaji Sama Kano April 8, 1996 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Admiral Olu Omotehinwa May 22, 1996 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Irene Obodo (Mrs.) June 1996 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Alhaja Kudirat Abiola June 4, 1996 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Chief Adejola Balogun June 15, 1996 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Esther A. Tejuoso (Mrs.) September 19,1996 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Alhaja Suliat Adedeji November 14, 1996 Ibadan Shot Unresolved
Toyin Onagoruwa December 1996 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Engr. Adesoji A. Dina September 1998 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Kola Tokunbo January 31, 1999 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Patrick Okoye January 31, 1999 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Sunday Ugwu September 9, 1999 Enugu Shot Unresolved
Igwe Francis Nwankwo February 15, 2000 Anambra Shot Unresolved
Nicholas Okhuakhua June 2000 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Mohammed Shuaibu September 2000 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Obatou Mumbo October 17, 2000 Onitsha Shot Unresolved
Idowu Braimoh November 5, 2000 Ondo Shot Unresolved
Joseph Osayande December 4, 2000 Benin Shot Unresolved
Chief Layi Balogun December 10, 2000 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Monday Ndor August 19, 2001 Port Harcourt Shot Unresolved
Onyebuchi Ede August 23, 2001 Ebonyi Shot Unresolved
Chibueze Idah August 23, 2001 Ebonyi Shot Unresolved
Ogbonna Odimbaiwe August 23, 2001 Ebonyi Shot Unresolved
Ifeanyi Nnaji August 23, 2001 Ebonyi Shot Unresolved
Odunayo Olagbaju December 20, 2001 Ife Shot Unresolved
Chief Bola Ige December 23, 2001 Ibadan Shot Unresolved
Mr. S.A. Awoniyi January 7, 2002 Abuja Stabbed Unresolved
Eyo Eyo April 2002 Calabar Shot Unresolved
Ifeanyi Igbokwe April 18, 2002 Lagos Shot Unresolved
Musa Dayo May 9, 2002 Bauchi Shot Unresolved
Christopher Ogbonna May 26, 2002 Nsukka Shot Unresolved
Maria-Theresa Nsa June 11,2002 Cross River Shot Unresolved
Chief & Mrs. Barnabas Igwe September 1, 2002 Onitsha Shot Unresolved
Mr. Ogbonnaya Uche February 8, 2003 Owerri Shot Unresolved
E. Emenike February 13, 2003 Imo Shot Unresolved
Theodore Agwatu February 22, 2003 Owerri Shot Unresolved
Emily Omope March 3, 2003 Ibadan Shot Unresolved
Marshal Harry March 5, 2003 Abuja Shot Unresolved
Bala Mai-Haice March 17, 2003 Yamal tu Deba Shot Unresolved
Ajibola Olanipekun June 21, 2003 Ibadan Shot Unresolved
Aminosoari Dikibo February 6, 2004 Delta Shot Unresolved
Lateef Olaniyan July 16, 2005 Ibadan Shot Unresolved
Peter Eboigbe August 11, 2005 Benin Shot Unresolved
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