Journalists have called for re-opening of investigation into the murder of Dele Giwa, founder of Newswatch Magazine.

They also called for the immortalisation of Giwa and the pursuit of the killing of other journalists to logical conclusion to ensure prosecution of perpetrators of the act.

They made the call at a colloquium convened by the Nigeria Union of Journalists,NUJ, Lagos State Council and the Dele Giwa Foundation to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the death of Giwa.

Chairman of the occasion and former President of NUJ, Sani Zorro, called on the Federal Government to immortalise Giwa and MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the annulled presidential election of nineteen ninety-three.

Zorro said giving Giwa a post humus honour would give journalists a sense of belonging, saying this was an appropriate opportunity to call for the declassification of official records and investigation of the death of Dele Giwa.

Chairman of NUJ, Lagos council, Deji Elumoye, said journalists had become subjects of attack in the course of their duties, saying unresolved murders placed Nigeria as the thirteenth on the global impunity index.

Elumoye urged the federal government through the Inspector General of Police to re-open investigation into the death of Dele Giwa and other journalists who were mysteriously murdered, saying without this, the matrix of change would not be complete.

Dele Giwa’s co-founder of Newswatch Magagine, Ray Ekpu, said journalists had been widowed by the backstabbing of the event that occurred thirty years ago, saying the horror of Giwa’s death was fresh and series of publications had been done about him, saying the media had a collective responsibility to get him justice.

Sun newspaper, Managing Director, Eric Osagie said journalists were not well paid and were most times owed salaries, questioning the integrity of such journalist to be able to effectively perform his duties without compromise.

Deputy Managing Director, Thisday newspapers, Kayode Komolafe, said when impunity reigns supreme in the land, it was not only journalists that were at risk but everyone.

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said police feel more vulnerable than journalists in the fight against impunity, saying police were still committed to the protection of lives and property as well as that of journalists.

He said investigation was a continuous process, saying cross fertilisation of ideas was needed to achieve justice.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Social Critic and Human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, said journalists faced other hazards which included kidnapping, calling for the declassification of the investigation of Giwa’s killers.

Falana who spoke through President Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Malachi Ugbomadu said the Ibrahim Babangida administration refused to allow independent investigations into the matter.

He accused government of paying lip service to the issue of attacks on journalists, notwithstanding its claim of that press freedom was respected in Nigeria, the harassment of journalists has not ceased.

Second Vice President, Nigeria Bar Association, Monday Ubani, said several other journalists had been killed after Dele Giwa because the impunity had been left unchecked and allowed, calling for legislation for the protection of lives and property of journalists and advised journalists to resolve to be upright.

The theme for the event was “Safety of Journalists and the Culture of Impunity.’’