Veteran journalist Yakubu Mohammed, co-founder of the iconic Newswatch magazine, has passed away at the age of 75, less than two months after the death of fellow co-founder Dan Agbese.

Mohammed, who had launched his memoir Beyond Expectations in November 2025, reportedly battled a prolonged illness before his death. He hailed from Ologba, Dekina LGA, Kogi State, and had a career spanning over five decades in Nigerian journalism.

President Bola Tinubu paid tribute, describing Mohammed as a courageous professional dedicated to truth, public service, and nation-building. “Yakubu Mohammed’s journalism career was marked by uncommon bravery and professional integrity. He often placed his life on the line to speak truth to power,” the President said. Tinubu also noted that Mohammed’s memoir offered deep insights into leadership and the responsibilities of journalists.

Mohammed co-founded Newswatch in 1984 alongside Dele Giwa, Dan Agbese, and Ray Ekpu, pioneering fearless investigative journalism during Nigeria’s military era. He served in various capacities, including Associate Editor at New Nigerian Newspapers (1976–1980), Deputy and Editor at National Concord (1980–1984), Managing Editor and Executive Editor at Newswatch, and later as Deputy CEO of Newswatch Communications Limited.

Beyond journalism, he contributed to public service as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and held director roles at Yadara Nigeria Limited and Lastop Limited.

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) mourned Mohammed, praising him and Agbese as “irreplaceable treasures” whose work set enduring standards for investigative journalism, press freedom, and democratic accountability. The Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Ododo, also condoled, noting Mohammed’s contributions to both national journalism and the development of his home state.

Mohammed was educated at St Joseph’s Primary School, Ayangba, Government Secondary School, Okene, University of Lagos, and Glasgow College of Technology, Scotland. A member of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Commonwealth Journalists’ Association, and Nigerian Guild of Editors, he leaves behind a legacy of courage, integrity, and mentorship that shaped generations of Nigerian journalists.