The Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking an extension of time to challenge a judgment ordering the reopening of investigations into the murder of late journalist, Dele Giwa.
The request followed the expiration of the 90-day statutory period allowed for filing appeals at the Court of Appeal.
In a judgment delivered on February 16, 2024, the Federal High Court, Abuja, ordered the Federal Government to reopen investigation and prosecution into the killing of Giwa and other journalists murdered in Nigeria.
Giwa, the founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch Magazine, was killed by a parcel bomb at his Ikeja residence in Lagos on October 19, 1986.
The suit was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Media Rights Agenda (MRA).
Apart from Giwa, the court order also covers other journalists whose killings remain unresolved. They include Bolade Fasisi of the National Association of Women Journalists, killed on March 31, 1998; Edward Olalekan of Daily Times, murdered on June 1, 1999; Godwin Agbroko of ThisDay, killed on December 22, 1999; Omololu Falobi of The PUNCH, murdered on October 5, 2006; Abayomi Ogundeji of ThisDay, killed on August 17, 2008; and Edo Sule-Ugbagwu of The Nation, murdered on April 24, 2010.
In a motion on notice filed on December 23, 2025, counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation, A.B. Mohammed, asked the appellate court to grant the government leave to appeal out of time.
The motion explained that the statutory period for appeal had elapsed, necessitating the application.
“The judgment of the Federal High Court was delivered by Honourable Justice I.E. Ekwo on the 16th of February, 2024,” the Federal Government stated.
“The appellant/applicant is desirous of appealing the said judgment of the court and requires time to do so.
“The appellant/applicant has drafted a proposed notice and grounds of appeal,” the motion added.
An affidavit in support of the application was sworn to by Kelechi Ohaeri, a litigation officer in the Department of Civil Appeals at the Federal Ministry of Justice.
Ohaeri said the appeal was necessary in the interest of justice, urging the court to exercise its discretion in favour of the Federal Government.
The Court of Appeal is yet to fix a date to hear the application.