Twenty-seven years after the brutal murder by a
parcel bomb of the journalist Dele Giwa, the fog
surrounding those behind his death has been
substantially cleared by 70-year-old Major Debo
Basorun (retd.), former Chief Press Secretary to
ex-military President Ibrahim Babangida. In an
interview published this morning in National
Mirror, Basorun was asked: “Are you saying
categorically that it was Babangida who ordered
the killing of Dele Giwa?” His answer: “Yes, yes
and yes.”
The septuagenarian had yesterday broken down in
tears as he recalled Giwa’s dastardly murder
during the launch in Lagos of his book, ‘Honour
for Sale: An Inside Account of the Murder of Dele
Giwa’.
In the explosive interview, Basorun also accused
his erstwhile boss of bringing corruption to the
highest level in the country and of committing a
lot of atrocities. Please read on:
Question: What informed your decision to write a
book about some salient events in the nation’s
history?
Immediately I left this country for exile in United
States of America in 1989, I gathered all the
materials for the book. I started making jottings
on long hand. By 1994 the book was ready and
the transcript was given to Prof. Wole Soyinka
during the NADECO struggles. But for one reason
or the other, I could not put it through
Why did you go on exile?
I had to run when my life was in danger. I was
then the Chief Press Secretary to General Ibrahim
Babangida, the former Head of State. Since I
know some facts surrounding the death of Dele
Giwa, the government was uncomfortable with
me, therefore they were looking for how to
eliminate me.
Babangida’s government was involved in the
planning and assassination of Dele Giwa. And
because I was privy to that information, the
government was unhappy, unsettled; it was jittery
and wanted to get rid of me. It suspected that I
could say the truth. When I saw the handwriting
on the wall and between life and death, I ran for
my life. I had to escape from the country after I
took them to court. I was the only principal
officer serving that will take the government to
court.
Despite several injunctions, at the Lagos High
Court, the military government then just refused
to come to the court to present their side of the
story. The court said they should leave me alone,
but they were hunting for me everywhere and
since my life was no longer safe, I had to leave.
What are the salient facts that you have in your
custody that made you think the government was
looking for you?
These facts are hidden in the book and if you get
a copy, you will see the intrigue that was woven
round the killing of Dele Giwa. You will see the
role certain characters played in the murder. I
was even induced with money, but I refused, that
was the time I had to run away. Now I believe it
is better to state the fact the way it was no
matter whose ox is gored. It is better to run
away than to collect money from the devil.
Are you saying categorically that it was
Babangida who ordered the killing of Dele Giwa?
Yes, yes and yes.
What about the involvement of Cols. Haliru Akilu
and A. K. Togun?
Yes, these guys were in the military intelligence.
They were all involved. If there is any dirty job to
be done, the military intelligence would do it. I am
a dramatic personae in that unit, therefore there
is nothing they are doing that I would not know.
The bitter truth is that Dele Giwa was killed by
the Babangida regime. The whole thing was
surrounded by mystery of our government. It is
unfortunate that nobody has been brought to
book.
Are you not afraid of your life now that all those
you implicated in your book are still alive?
That was then that I used to fear, I am old
enough to die now. That is the reason why I
wrote this book, ‘Honour for Sale’. If eventually it
leads to my death, I have no regrets. Why did
they tag you a rebel while in the army, especially
on the issue of a strong memo you wrote to your
superior officer. What happened then?
That was when I was in the army. The issue that
forced me out into exile was that Babangida was
the President. There were two different scenarios
here. One of the things that endeared Babangida
to so many troops was his sense of fairness and
sense of accommodating, no matter where you
come from. After I became his spokesperson in
the army, I realised that most of our gadgets in
the army had inscriptions written on them in
Arabic.
Despite the fact that I was a Muslim, I found it
offensive that English was our lingua franca and
that those things ought to have been written in
English. I raised a memo and sent to him. He did
not want to act on it, when Akilu, who was the
Director of Military Intelligence got wind of it, he
was bitter with me. He called me all sorts of
names and came to accuse me for initiating such
a memo.
Was there any sinister move from Akilu over what
you did?
He was just harassing me, but Babangida
shielded me, and told me that I should lie low.
There was a time he told me that I should not
mind him. I was doing a good job and the image
of the army, which had been battered, was being
restored gradually.
Don’t you think that the society will blame you for
concealing such information you are divulging
now for many years?
No; they will not, against the backdrop of what
went wrong then. I knew why I went to court and
refused to be posted to where they can kill me.
There was a precedent, they have killed people in
that unit before and nothing happened, therefore I
didn’t want to be killed. If I did not have my
facts, I will not go to court. That was why they
muzzled everybody including the court. They were
very powerful and there was nothing they could
not do.
Was that the reason why all the cases of glaring
assassinations the country have been witnessing
after the killing of Dele Giwa cannot be traced?
It is only now that the police investigate cases of
assassination and other organised crimes. Those
days, the police cannot investigate anything. In
fact, during the time of Babangida, the police was
just a toothless bull dog. They were just there at
the beck and call of the powers that be, then and
there was nothing the rank and file could do.
Is it true that the IBB you know can do anything
to bribe his way out of any situation?
I can tell you authoritatively that Babangida was a
corrupt man. He was very corrupt. Several times,
I had collected bribe for him. I am not claiming to
be a saint, because I was a part of that
government.
It is ‘obey the last order’ in the military. I know
bribery is not good, but it was a military
assignment that you must carry out; it is a duty
that you must do. If the society wants to blame
me for that, I will take up the blame. IBB
introduced a new dimension to corruption in
Nigeria on a large scale.
Recently the same IBB came out to condemn
corruption in the country, how do you react to
that?
It is very unfortunate that he, who took
corruption to the highest level, could do so. Every
Head of State in this country, apart from Muritala
Mohammed and Muhammadu Buhari, were all
corrupt.
The idea behind the book is just to call on
Nigerians that they should not allow impunity to
continue, enough is enough. After Dele Giwa, a lot
of people, including journalists have been killed by
the powers that be, yet nobody has unravelled the
killings. What that is telling us is that the media
is not doing enough to come out with such
investigative stories, one day nobody knows who
could come next as their target.
That is the challenge I pose to them now; let
them come and kill me. I no longer fear for my
life. I am old enough to die now if that is the
sacrifice to pay for telling the truth and exposing
all the hidden facts in our past brutal political
history. I don’t want to go to my grave with this
heavy load on my chest, today I have children and
grandchildren, so if death comes now, I have left
a legacy for the next generation to ponder on.
They offered me money to keep quiet, but I
refused, knowing full well that a day like this will
come.
In 2010, Babangida wanted to use the Chief of
Army Staff as they came up with spurious charge
that cannot withstand the test of time against me
that I stole money in the army. I took them to
court, but they could not defend it.
After that all other Chiefs of Army Staff who had
sat on that chair realised that the issue was a
political one and decided not to dabble into it.
They did not want to dabble into it for the fear
that a day like this may come where all the
hidden facts will be in the open. They did all that
could be done to rubbish my image and harass
me publicly but it all failed.
Was there any specific attempt on your life in the
course of this crisis?
When I was in exile, Babangida wanted to
eliminate me, but all his attempts failed. He used
the Nigerian Embassy in America to prosecute all
these atrocities, he even got in touch with some
corrupt US agencies to do the shady deal for him,
but all failed. I was forced to go to court there
before I was vindicated. Babangida was afraid of
this day, when all his misdeeds of the past would
be laid bare in the open to the public through my
book.
As an insider, do you believe that there were few
cabals that were controlling the destiny of this
country?
Yes, Babangida is one of them. Let me tell you
the bitter truth: all those who have been
controlling the political power of this country are
few cliques who are re-cycling themselves, either
military or civilian. Most of them are in
government by proxy; all their agents are in
government.
Let me give you an example, there are some
people, who were with me in Dodan Barracks and
who are still in the present government. For us to
move forward, let all the old brigade hands off,
including myself. Let the young people take over
the reins of power and run it. With all these dead
woods around, former this and former that, we
are not going to get anywhere.
Would you say we need revolution to make things
right?
Revolution is the last resort. Yes things are not
going as it ought to go, but Nigerians can endure
a lot, however there is limit to human endurance.
When Nigerians are pressed to the wall, revolution
will come naturally. The handwriting is clearly on
the wall.

Source: https://pottergrind./2013/11/24/yes-babangida-killed-dele-giwa-major-debo-basorun-rtd/

hmmm
Strong One!

Ok na... Revelations chapter...

this people want problem in this country

This post long ooooo

D heart of man is wiked,y kill when u cant creat?judgement day is comin

After 27 year, even with the truth nothing we still happen, we jst only need God prayers to keep us alive each day and to see and hear Good tins.

9ja is full of hiding sheet

No place like dis Zoo!

Now tell me after reading this post why any sane person will gladly die for the integrity of Naija The only country where mediocrity and callousness is celebrated by its populace as the pinnacle of success... SMH...

Very informative, better said late than never

the major is just re-echoing the exact truth being said on radio biafra everyday.

folks4luv:
After I became his spokesperson in the army, I realised that most of our gadgets in the army had inscriptions written on them in Arabic. Despite the fact that I was a Muslim, I found it offensive that English was our lingua franca and that those things ought to have been written in English. I raised a memo and sent to him. He did not want to act on it, when Akilu, who was the Director of Military Intelligence got wind of it, he was bitter with me. He called me all sorts of names and came to accuse me for initiating such a memo/

o ga o

My people is there no man out of 200 million people to pay the PRICE of a great nation?
WE NEED TO DO THE NEEDFUL!!!
And it is now or never!!!

[size=18pt]all those who have been controlling the political power of this country are
few cliques who are re-cycling themselves, either
military or civilian. Most of them are in
government by proxy; all their agents are in
government.
Let me give you an example, there are some
people, who were with me in Dodan Barracks and
who are still in the present government. For us to
move forward, let all the old brigade hands off,
including myself. Let the young people take over
the reins of power and run it. With all these dead
woods around, former this and former that, we
are not going to get anywhere. [[/size] I hope the youth of today read this and know why Jonathan was chickened out, but I doubt they would learn aww

This is really revealing

Rubbish...after 27 years...he should have kept the truth to himself...cowards....

pBuhari:
this people want problem in this country

dem nobi your friends anymore? u lied they are peaceful

Commentus LA leta

folks4luv:
Twenty-seven years after the brutal murder by a
parcel bomb of the journalist Dele Giwa, the fog
surrounding those behind his death has been
substantially cleared by 70-year-old Major Debo
Basorun (retd.), former Chief Press Secretary to
ex-military President Ibrahim Babangida. In an
interview published this morning in National
Mirror, Basorun was asked: “Are you saying
categorically that it was Babangida who ordered
the killing of Dele Giwa?” His answer: “Yes, yes
and yes.”
The septuagenarian had yesterday broken down in
tears as he recalled Giwa’s dastardly murder
during the launch in Lagos of his book, ‘Honour
for Sale: An Inside Account of the Murder of Dele
Giwa’.
In the explosive interview, Basorun also accused
his erstwhile boss of bringing corruption to the
highest level in the country and of committing a
lot of atrocities. Please read on:
Question: What informed your decision to write a
book about some salient events in the nation’s
history?
Immediately I left this country for exile in United
States of America in 1989, I gathered all the
materials for the book. I started making jottings
on long hand. By 1994 the book was ready and
the transcript was given to Prof. Wole Soyinka
during the NADECO struggles. But for one reason
or the other, I could not put it through
Why did you go on exile?
I had to run when my life was in danger. I was
then the Chief Press Secretary to General Ibrahim
Babangida, the former Head of State. Since I
know some facts surrounding the death of Dele
Giwa, the government was uncomfortable with
me, therefore they were looking for how to
eliminate me.
Babangida’s government was involved in the
planning and assassination of Dele Giwa. And
because I was privy to that information, the
government was unhappy, unsettled; it was jittery
and wanted to get rid of me. It suspected that I
could say the truth. When I saw the handwriting
on the wall and between life and death, I ran for
my life. I had to escape from the country after I
took them to court. I was the only principal
officer serving that will take the government to
court.
Despite several injunctions, at the Lagos High
Court, the military government then just refused
to come to the court to present their side of the
story. The court said they should leave me alone,
but they were hunting for me everywhere and
since my life was no longer safe, I had to leave.
What are the salient facts that you have in your
custody that made you think the government was
looking for you?
These facts are hidden in the book and if you get
a copy, you will see the intrigue that was woven
round the killing of Dele Giwa. You will see the
role certain characters played in the murder. I
was even induced with money, but I refused, that
was the time I had to run away. Now I believe it
is better to state the fact the way it was no
matter whose ox is gored. It is better to run
away than to collect money from the devil.
Are you saying categorically that it was
Babangida who ordered the killing of Dele Giwa?
Yes, yes and yes.
What about the involvement of Cols. Haliru Akilu
and A. K. Togun?
Yes, these guys were in the military intelligence.
They were all involved. If there is any dirty job to
be done, the military intelligence would do it. I am
a dramatic personae in that unit, therefore there
is nothing they are doing that I would not know.
The bitter truth is that Dele Giwa was killed by
the Babangida regime. The whole thing was
surrounded by mystery of our government. It is
unfortunate that nobody has been brought to
book.
Are you not afraid of your life now that all those
you implicated in your book are still alive?
That was then that I used to fear, I am old
enough to die now. That is the reason why I
wrote this book, ‘Honour for Sale’. If eventually it
leads to my death, I have no regrets. Why did
they tag you a rebel while in the army, especially
on the issue of a strong memo you wrote to your
superior officer. What happened then?
That was when I was in the army. The issue that
forced me out into exile was that Babangida was
the President. There were two different scenarios
here. One of the things that endeared Babangida
to so many troops was his sense of fairness and
sense of accommodating, no matter where you
come from. After I became his spokesperson in
the army, I realised that most of our gadgets in
the army had inscriptions written on them in
Arabic.
Despite the fact that I was a Muslim, I found it
offensive that English was our lingua franca and
that those things ought to have been written in
English. I raised a memo and sent to him. He did
not want to act on it, when Akilu, who was the
Director of Military Intelligence got wind of it, he
was bitter with me. He called me all sorts of
names and came to accuse me for initiating such
a memo.
Was there any sinister move from Akilu over what
you did?
He was just harassing me, but Babangida
shielded me, and told me that I should lie low.
There was a time he told me that I should not
mind him. I was doing a good job and the image
of the army, which had been battered, was being
restored gradually.
Don’t you think that the society will blame you for
concealing such information you are divulging
now for many years?
No; they will not, against the backdrop of what
went wrong then. I knew why I went to court and
refused to be posted to where they can kill me.
There was a precedent, they have killed people in
that unit before and nothing happened, therefore I
didn’t want to be killed. If I did not have my
facts, I will not go to court. That was why they
muzzled everybody including the court. They were
very powerful and there was nothing they could
not do.
Was that the reason why all the cases of glaring
assassinations the country have been witnessing
after the killing of Dele Giwa cannot be traced?
It is only now that the police investigate cases of
assassination and other organised crimes. Those
days, the police cannot investigate anything. In
fact, during the time of Babangida, the police was
just a toothless bull dog. They were just there at
the beck and call of the powers that be, then and
there was nothing the rank and file could do.
Is it true that the IBB you know can do anything
to bribe his way out of any situation?
I can tell you authoritatively that Babangida was a
corrupt man. He was very corrupt. Several times,
I had collected bribe for him. I am not claiming to
be a saint, because I was a part of that
government.
It is ‘obey the last order’ in the military. I know
bribery is not good, but it was a military
assignment that you must carry out; it is a duty
that you must do. If the society wants to blame
me for that, I will take up the blame. IBB
introduced a new dimension to corruption in
Nigeria on a large scale.
Recently the same IBB came out to condemn
corruption in the country, how do you react to
that?
It is very unfortunate that he, who took
corruption to the highest level, could do so. Every
Head of State in this country, apart from Muritala
Mohammed and Muhammadu Buhari, were all
corrupt.
The idea behind the book is just to call on
Nigerians that they should not allow impunity to
continue, enough is enough. After Dele Giwa, a lot
of people, including journalists have been killed by
the powers that be, yet nobody has unravelled the
killings. What that is telling us is that the media
is not doing enough to come out with such
investigative stories, one day nobody knows who
could come next as their target.
That is the challenge I pose to them now; let
them come and kill me. I no longer fear for my
life. I am old enough to die now if that is the
sacrifice to pay for telling the truth and exposing
all the hidden facts in our past brutal political
history. I don’t want to go to my grave with this
heavy load on my chest, today I have children and
grandchildren, so if death comes now, I have left
a legacy for the next generation to ponder on.
They offered me money to keep quiet, but I
refused, knowing full well that a day like this will
come.
In 2010, Babangida wanted to use the Chief of
Army Staff as they came up with spurious charge
that cannot withstand the test of time against me
that I stole money in the army. I took them to
court, but they could not defend it.
After that all other Chiefs of Army Staff who had
sat on that chair realised that the issue was a
political one and decided not to dabble into it.
They did not want to dabble into it for the fear
that a day like this may come where all the
hidden facts will be in the open. They did all that
could be done to rubbish my image and harass
me publicly but it all failed.
Was there any specific attempt on your life in the
course of this crisis?
When I was in exile, Babangida wanted to
eliminate me, but all his attempts failed. He used
the Nigerian Embassy in America to prosecute all
these atrocities, he even got in touch with some
corrupt US agencies to do the shady deal for him,
but all failed. I was forced to go to court there
before I was vindicated. Babangida was afraid of
this day, when all his misdeeds of the past would
be laid bare in the open to the public through my
book.
As an insider, do you believe that there were few
cabals that were controlling the destiny of this
country?
Yes, Babangida is one of them. Let me tell you
the bitter truth: all those who have been
controlling the political power of this country are
few cliques who are re-cycling themselves, either
military or civilian. Most of them are in
government by proxy; all their agents are in
government.
Let me give you an example, there are some
people, who were with me in Dodan Barracks and
who are still in the present government. For us to
move forward, let all the old brigade hands off,
including myself. Let the young people take over
the reins of power and run it. With all these dead
woods around, former this and former that, we
are not going to get anywhere.
Would you say we need revolution to make things
right?
Revolution is the last resort. Yes things are not
going as it ought to go, but Nigerians can endure
a lot, however there is limit to human endurance.
When Nigerians are pressed to the wall, revolution
will come naturally. The handwriting is clearly on
the wall.

Source: https://pottergrind./2013/11/24/yes-babangida-killed-dele-giwa-major-debo-basorun-rtd/

sai ibb. we naija peeps love u. once agàin bài man of the people. IBB

'fee cabals controlling the helm of this country'. NA waa ooo. I see why this man is tagged 'Evil Genius'. ha!

our sweats and toils will never forgive you and your generations shall suffer what you caused this nation. why do I even still say nation . I don't trust an Hausa man, he neither trust me too, imagine I have phobia dealing with IBO's . Ibb, Obasanjo, Abdusalam and others. all ur children and descendants shall never know peace of God.
#crying and sobbing now. imagine how they roasted that man sha