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A co-founder of Newswatch magazine and its former deputy chief executive officer, Yakubu Mohammed, has died at the age of 75.
According to reports, Mohammed had been ill before his death, though the nature of the illness was not disclosed. As of publication, no official statement had been released by his family.
His death comes about two months after the passing of his long-time colleague and fellow Newswatch co-founder, Dan Agbese, who died on November 17, 2025, after a prolonged illness.
In October 2025, Mohammed published a memoir, Beyond Expectations, which chronicled the history of Newswatch and reflected on the magazine’s early years. The book revisited key moments in the publication’s development, including the fallout from the 1986 assassination of founding editor-in-chief Dele Giwa and the subsequent struggle for control of the magazine.
Mohammed founded Newswatch in 1984 alongside Agbese, Ray Ekpu, and Giwa. The magazine became a leading platform for investigative journalism during Nigeria’s period of military rule.
Born on April 4, 1950, Mohammed was from Ologba in the Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State. He attended St. Joseph’s Primary School in Ayangba, Government Secondary School in Okene, the University of Lagos, and the Glasgow College of Technology.
He began his journalism career at New Nigerian Newspapers, where he served as associate editor from 1976 to 1980 and managing editor in 1980. He later joined National Concord, serving as deputy editor from 1980 to 1982 and editor from 1982 to 1984.
