I DID NOT KILL DELE GIWA, SAYS MARWA

Nigeria's High Commissioner to South Africa, Dr Mohammed Buba Marwa, has denied complicity in the brutal assassination of frontline journalist and Newswatch magazine editor Mr Dele Giwa, who was murdered about twenty years ago in his Ikeja, Lagos residence, by a letter bomb.

He said in a statement emailed to xclusivenigeria.com and signed by Bayo S. Yusuf, his personal assistant, that he had no hand in the brutal assasination, and that indeed he was far away from Lagos, at the time of the killing. Newspaper reports suggested that Marwa, then a young military officer under the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida, delivered the letter bomb that killed Giwa.

In a rejoinder to a press interview allegedly given by Professor Taiyemimo Ogunade, reportedly a former faculty member of the City University, New York, and which was emailed to xclusivenigeria.com, Marwa said: " It is therefore absurd and unimaginable that Ogunade will link Dr Marwa, who was leading a training exercise for his battalion in far-away Bauchi to the death of Mr. Dele Giwa in Lagos State. Where was this professor without honour these past twenty plus years after the unfortunate death of Dele Giwa? Why did he not come forward since then with information at the tribunals, courts or indeed testify at the Oputa panel? His is a wicked story and only a character in the mould of Ogunade can peddle such deliberate falsehood."

The brilliant Giwa, a nationally reknowned journalist and essayist, was believed to be a thorn in the back of the military authorities who held sway in the country at that time, and his spectacular assassination was seen by analysts as an attempt to cower the press and rein in free speech.

The brutal murder stunned the nation and spurred strident calls for the government to unearth those responsible. The case has remained unsolved since then. Marwa, who later became military governor of Borno and Lagos States, and upon his retirement from the Army, established Albarka Airline, was a young military officer at that time, under the miltary regime of General Ibrahim Babangida.

Yusuf said in the rejoinder, titled ATTEMPT TO LINK DR MARWA WITH DELE GIWA'S DEATH IS CALLOUS, that "without mincing words, it is obvious from the claims and statements credited to the so-called Prof Ogunade that he is a hireling on a desperate mission to impung on the image of Dr Marwa."

The statement said further: "It is certain, based on Ogunade's own claim, that he was dismissed from the City university, New York, that he must be of a questionable character whose words cannot be trusted or believed.

"In as much as the statements of characters like Ogunade should not pose any threat to the personality of Dr Marwa, it is necessary to put the records straight for the benefit of millions of unsuspecting Nigerians who may stumble on the libelous story of Ogunade.

"It is on record that between August 1983 and August 1986, Dr Marwa was away in the USA at the Universities of Pittsburg and Harvard for postgraduate studies. Upon his return to Nigeria in August 1986, he was posted to take take command of 233 tank battalion, Azare in Bauchi State. That year, 233 tank battalion was the only tank battalion selected in the entire Nigerian Army for the annual battalion test exercise (Exercise Gwada Karfi-an exercise in which the combat capability and battle worthiness of a battalion with full complements and in all phases and oerations are tested, under the direct supervision and control of Divisional and Army Headquarters). The entire exercise period ran from September to November 1986.

"It is therefore absurd and unimaginable that Ogunade will link Dr Marwa, who was leading a training exercise for his battalion in far-away Bauchi to the death of Mr. Dele Giwa in Lagos State. Where was this professor without honour these past twenty plus years after the unfortunate death of Dele Giwa? Why did he not come forward since then with information at the tribunals, courts or indeed testify at the Oputa panel? His is a wicked story and only a character in the mould of Ogunade can peddle such deliberate falsehood.

"Besides his futile attempt to link Dr Marwa to the death of Dele Giwa, the so-called professor went ahead to also narrate how Dr Marwa alledgedly signed a $30 million contract with the City University, New York, on behalf of the Nigerian government for a spurious masters degree programme for military officers.

"Again, for the benefit of Nigerians, Dr Marwa has never met Ogunade or John Muyiwa Amodu of City University, New York; neither did he sign any such contract with the University. City University, New York, still exists. These facts can still be verified. If any contract was signed, Ogunade should produce the papers. As such, there was no basis for sharing any money that never existed. This is absolutely a fabrication by a man that has no conscience.

"On Albarka Airline, it is on record and Dr Marwa has said this in the past, that the airline was financed by loans from banks and financial institutions like the African International Bank/African Export-Import Bank, Cairo, Egypt etc. The airline was later capitalized to a Public Liability Company(PLC) in 2002. How or where Ogunade came up with a figure of $250 million that was shared is absolutely as unfathomable as it is ludicrous.

"In another spurious claim, Ogunade said Dr Marwa confessed to money laundering in his statement to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC). This again, is another falsehood. Dr Marwa never confessed to any money laundering to anybody. This can be veriffied with the EFCC, and if he had done that, as Ogunade, what could have stopped the commission from charging him to court? The EFCC never established any case against Dr Marwa and that was why he was cleared to run for the country's presidency in 2006.

"Ogunade's unashamed self confession that he was dismissed from the City University, New York, certainly tells much about his credibility and lack of honour. As such, his fabricated lies cannot tarnish the image of a distinguished Nigerian like Dr Marwa who has worked hard and dilligently over the years to build a name.

"Dr Marwa, an officer and a gentleman, has had an unblemished and meritorious public service record during his military career, both in the barracks and as a humane and performing governor of Borno(1990-1992) and Lagos States(1996-1999)which earned him both admiration and several awards including the Distinguished Service Star(DSS) of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the national award of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic(OFR)."

According to Yusuf, the High Commissioner, "a firm believer in the rule of law, has already briefed his lawyers."