Two Decades Of Injustice: Reopen Investigation Into Bola Ige’s Death – Soyinka Tells Buhari

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to fulfil his promise on reopening investigation into the killing of a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige.

Prof. Soyinka, who said unsolved crimes only lead to a culture of impunity, spoke at the 20th anniversary of Ige’s killing.

This was contained in a speech by the Nobel Laureate at the “20th year of Bola Ige Memorial Symposium, 2 Decades Of Injustice: What Are The Implications On Nigerian Democracy” organised by the Bola Ige For Justice Centre, held at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja on Tuesday.

Soyinka explained that while all lives should be valued equally, some impose a special responsibility on those in governance. One of such persons is Bola Ige who was at the time of his assassination, the nation’s Minister of Justice, and United Nations’ civil servant designate.

He further buttressed that the nation must not relent in investigating his brutal murder and bring the perpetrators to justice.

He stated, “President Muhammadu Buhari, what has become of your robust pledge to open an enquiry into the spate of political murders that the nation has undergone in recent years? Does it all amount to yet another instance of political bravado?

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“While we all accept that all lives should be valued equally, some impose a special responsibility on those in governance. Bola Ige, as the nation’s minister of justice, and United Nations’ civil servant designate, was unarguably one such. A nation’s honour is in question and remains so until the hour of closure.

“At the very least, we need a formal declaration regarding those who displayed an abnormal interest in the fates of those accused, to a level of proven, documented interference both in the investigative process and within the judiciary. I am not alone in having written and lectured on these sordid aspects that fueled the subversion of justice. There are surviving witnesses.

“Unsolved crimes only lead to a culture of impunity. This puts the entire nation at risk, no matter the privilege of high-level protection. This is a lesson that Nigerian leadership has yet to learn.

“President Buhari, share the rewards of your investigations – if any!!!”