Newswatch Co-Founder Yakubu Mohammed Is Dead

Yakubu Mohammed, a veteran journalist and co-founder of Newswatch magazine, has died at the age of 75.

It was gathered that Yakubu Mohammed had been ill for some time, although the nature of the illness was not made public.

As of the time of filing this report, his family had yet to release an official statement.

His death comes just two months after the loss of his close colleague and fellow Newswatch co-founder, Dan Agbese, who died on November 17, 2025, after a long illness.

In October 2025, Mohammed released his memoir, “Beyond Expectations”, where he reflected on the early days of Newswatch and shared behind-the-scenes accounts of how the magazine was built.

The book also revisited key moments in its history, including the 1986 killing of founding editor-in-chief Dele Giwa and the internal battles that followed.

Yakubu Mohammed founded Newswatch in 1984 alongside Dan Agbese, Ray Ekpu, and Dele Giwa.

The magazine went on to become one of Nigeria’s most respected investigative publications, especially during the years of military rule.

His death marks another major loss to the publication’s original leadership.

Born on April 4, 1950, Mohammed was from Ologba in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State.

His education took him through St. Joseph’s Primary School in Ayangba, Government Secondary School in Okene, the University of Lagos, and later the Glasgow College of Technology in Scotland.

He began his journalism career at New Nigerian Newspapers, where he rose from associate editor to managing editor.

He later moved to National Concord, serving first as deputy editor and then as editor before joining Newswatch.

At Newswatch, Mohammed held several leadership roles, including executive editor, managing editor, and later deputy chief executive officer of Newswatch Communications Limited.

Outside journalism, Yakubu Mohammed served on the boards of Yadara Nigeria Limited and Lastop Limited.

He was also a member of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Union of Journalists, the Commonwealth Journalists’ Association, and the Nigerian Guild of Editors.

Mohammed also contributed to higher education, serving as pro-chancellor and chancellor of the governing council of Ahmadu Bello University.

KanyiDaily recalls that also reported how Bayelsa deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, died after collapsing suddenly in his office.