Civic advocacy group Lagosians For Truth and Justice has criticised the police for what it describes as a botched investigation into the death of singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, nearly two years after his passing.
In a statement released on Tuesday and signed by its coordinator, Rotimi Da Silva, the group said lingering inconsistencies in the case had eroded public confidence in law enforcement.
It urged a fresh and independent inquiry to determine the true circumstances of the late singer’s death.
“The Nigerian Police did not diligently investigate this case. Despite announcing on October 7, 2023, that the matter was being treated as homicide, the police failed to secure the residence as a crime scene,” the statement read.
The group alleged that individuals who were with Mohbad in the final 24 hours of his life, including his partner, were neither arrested nor interrogated.
“Instead, the police relied heavily on narratives provided to them without conducting an independent, comprehensive investigation,” it added.
Lagosians For Truth and Justice also criticised the state government over alleged contradictions in the toxicology report.
The statement claimed that while the government said Mohbad’s samples had been sent to NMS Pennsylvania, the laboratory denied ever receiving samples under his name.
The group cited discrepancies during the coroner’s inquest, pointing to conflicting accounts of Mohbad’s final hours.
One witness suggested Mohbad may not have been alive after midday, while another claimed the body required embalming, a claim the group described as “scientifically impossible” for someone who had been dead only hours.
Further contradictions included differing timelines between the nurse who attended Mohbad and the driver who transported him, raising questions about the exact time and cause of death.
“The date of death is unclear, the time of death is unknown, and the cause of death remains unascertained,” the statement said.
The group called for a fresh investigation, demanding the re-interrogation of all persons present during Mohbad’s final hours, comprehensive phone forensic analysis, an independent DNA test supervised by the singer’s father, and assurance of zero interference from the state government.
Mohbad, born Ilerioluwa Aloba, died at 27 on September 12, 2023. Following his death, the Lagos State Police Command set up a 13-man special investigation team.
However, an autopsy conducted to determine the cause of his death was declared inconclusive by the pathologist engaged by the state government.
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