Lagos State police boss sets up committee to exhume Mohbad's body and investigate his death

LAGOS State police commissioner Idowu Owohunwa has inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba popularly known as Mohbad.

Last week, on September 12, Mohbad, 27, passed away at a Lagos hospital after being treated for an infection. His death is being treated as suspicious by his fans, especially as it comes in the wake of a very public falling out between Mohbad and his mentor, singer and songwriter Azeez Adeshina Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley.

After two years of working together, Mohbad announced he was leaving Naira Marley's  Marlian Records. On 5 October 2022, Mohbad then accused Naira Marley of assault, stating that his former boss ordered people to beat him up after he announced his intention to employ a different manager to handle his music and business affairs.

Nigerian celebrities and aggrieved music fans have taken to the streets to demand justice for the late singer, with the protests kicking off in Akure, the Ondo State capital yesterday. responding to this pressure, the Lagos State police commissioner has put together an investigating team headed by assistant commissioner of police Saheed Kassim.

It is expected to, among other terms of reference, exhume Mohbad’s body and carry out autopsy as well as conduct toxicology and histology tests on it. Mr Owohunwa said the team members would be domiciled at the homicide section of the Criminal Investigation Department and would be divided into four sub teams to take care of specific areas such as forensic, technical, medical and practical investigations.

Mr Owohunwa added: “The team will engage in the exhumation, autopsy, visit to the crime scenes, hospitals and past records that might be vital towards establishing the facts in relation to the case on that investigation. In this regard, we do appreciate that a homicide investigation of this case would be complex and technical but we draw confidence in the fact that Governor Babajide Sanwoolu of Lagos State has assured that he would give whatever support we might need to aid our drive for justice and for a very conclusive and professionally delivered investigation process.”

He further highlighted the team’s terms of reference to include to aggregate all allegations, suspicions, insinuations from all sources, in the cause of interaction with the family, friends and the medical components, with a view to establishing facts, identify pieces of vital evidence that may support criminal investigation. It would also deploy all forensic, technical and other vital assets that are relevant to the investigation of homicide cases of this nature towards supporting the investigation process.

Thirdly, the team would also identify all actors. All elements that might be remotely or directly connected to the allegations will be investigated including witnesses.