Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on President Bola Tinubu to make public the findings of investigations into unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings in Nigeria, saying continued silence over such cases has encouraged impunity and denied justice to victims and their families.
Soyinka made the appeal on Friday in Port Harcourt during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture organised by the National Association of Seadogs (Pirates Confraternity).
The event, which also marked the association’s annual Martyr’s Day, was themed, “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage.”
The renowned playwright recalled that shortly after assuming office in 2023, President Tinubu requested files on unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings. He urged the President to disclose the outcome of those reviews and ensure that those responsible for the crimes were brought to justice.
“I want Nigerians to join me in asking President Tinubu to bring out those files. We want to know what happened, why it happened and who should be held accountable,” Soyinka said.
He stressed that reopening unresolved cases would help restore public confidence in Nigeria’s justice system, arguing that the country had witnessed decades of unlawful arrests, illegal detention, unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings without accountability.
According to Soyinka, successive governments have failed to deliver justice to victims and their families, creating a dangerous culture where human life is treated as expendable.
“This lecture is dedicated to the martyrs, to those who have needlessly and avoidably had their lives wasted,” he said.
