A civic advocacy organisation, Lagosians for Truth and Justice, has criticised the police for what it described as a failed and inconsistent investigation into the death of singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, two years after his passing.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its coordinator, Rotimi Da Silva, the group said the numerous contradictions surrounding the case had significantly undermined public confidence. It insisted that only a fresh, independent investigation could uncover the true circumstances of the late singer’s death.
“The Nigerian Police did not thoroughly investigate this matter. Despite declaring on October 7, 2023, that it was being treated as a homicide case, the police failed to seal Mohbad’s residence as a crime scene,” the group stated.
The group further alleged that key individuals who were with Mohbad in the 24 hours before his death—including his partner—were neither arrested nor interrogated as suspects.
“Instead, the police relied heavily on accounts presented to them, rather than conducting a comprehensive and independent probe,” it added.
Lagosians for Truth and Justice also criticised the Lagos State Government over the controversy surrounding the toxicology test, noting that the contradictions had still not been addressed.
“A major claim was that Mohbad’s samples were sent to NMS Pennsylvania. Shockingly, the laboratory publicly denied receiving any samples under the name Ilerioluwa Aloba. To date, the state government has not clarified or refuted this discrepancy,” the statement read.
The group highlighted inconsistencies that surfaced during the coroner’s inquest, saying these were overlooked. It noted testimonies suggesting conflicting timelines regarding when Mohbad was last seen alive and when he may have died.
It also pointed to conflicting accounts from the singer’s partner, the nurse who reportedly treated him, and the driver who transported him, saying the contradictions raised questions about the true date, time, and cause of death.
According to the group, the handling of the case has damaged the reputation of the Lagos State Government. It demanded a fresh and independent investigation, renewed interrogation of all individuals present during Mohbad’s final hours, full forensic analysis of phones, an independent DNA test supervised by Mohbad’s father, and zero interference from the state government.
Efforts to reach the Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotosho, were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages were not answered at the time of filing this report. The same applied to the State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi.
Earlier reports by PUNCH Metro noted that controversies have continued to surround Mohbad’s death, with various factions trading accusations.
Mohbad, born Ilerioluwa Aloba, died at the age of 27 on September 12, 2023. Following his death, the Lagos State Police Command set up a 13-man special investigation team to probe the circumstances surrounding his passing. However, the autopsy conducted to determine his cause of death was declared inconclusive by the state-appointed pathologist.
