A DNA test has confirmed that an unidentified body discovered at a mortuary in Ikorodu, Lagos, was that of Pelumi Onifade, the journalist who went missing after being arrested during the #EndSARS protests in October 2020.
Onifade, whose full name was Onifade Emmanuel Pelumi, was covering demonstrations against police brutality in the Agege area of Lagos on October 24, 2020, when he was reportedly arrested by police officers.
He had identified himself as a journalist at the time and was wearing clothing that visibly marked him as a member of the press.
Days after his arrest, an unidentified body was deposited at a mortuary in Ikorodu, raising suspicions among those who knew him.
The body, however, remained unidentified for years, leaving his family without answers.
In July 2024, a Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the Lagos State Government to conduct a coroner's inquest into the circumstances surrounding his death and directed the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to carry out a post-mortem examination on the unidentified body.
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LASUTH subsequently disclosed that earlier efforts to identify the remains had been delayed after DNA samples stored at the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre were destroyed during the #EndSARS unrest in October 2020.
Following prolonged legal proceedings, a fresh DNA test was conducted using a sample provided by Onifade's mother.
The magistrate handling the case confirmed that the results established a match between the unidentified body and the sample submitted by her, formally identifying the deceased nearly six years after his disappearance.
The confirmation brings a painful close to years of uncertainty for Onifade's family, who have continued to press for justice since he vanished.
His family's legal team is now calling for a full autopsy to determine the cause of death and to help identify those responsible.
The matter has been adjourned until July 7, 2026, for further proceedings.
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