Nollywood actor and human rights advocate, Yomi Fabiyi, is set to lead a peaceful protest demanding justice for the late Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as MohBad.
Fabiyi, in a post on his Instagram page, announced that the protest will take place on Monday, September 30, 2024, at the Lagos State House of Assembly. The purpose of the protest is to urge the state government to form a committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death.
He alleged that those responsible for Mohbad’s death are spending vast amounts of money to cover up the case, create distractions, and hide key evidence. Fabiyi expressed confidence that the CCTV cameras in and around Mohbad’s home were functioning, and that the footage is stored remotely, not on a DVR.
He also mentioned that the builder of similar properties and the security at Royal Pine Estate, Off Orchid Road, Lekki, have information about where this evidence is kept.
Fabiyi criticized the police for failing to retrieve the CCTV footage, describing the situation as “very frustrating.” He emphasized that the public does not want to take the law into their own hands by demanding the footage themselves. Therefore, they need the Lagos State representatives to step in, form a committee, and uncover the truth.
He called on citizens to join the protest and speak with one voice. “This struggle needs you. Be orderly and civil when attending,” Fabiyi urged.
Mohbad, who passed away at the age of 27 on September 12, 2023, left behind many unanswered questions. The circumstances of his death sparked widespread controversy on social media. Having previously been signed to Marlian Music, owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad left the label in February 2022.
On September 18, 2023, the Lagos State Police Command established a 13-member special investigation team to look into his death. Naira Marley and Lagos socialite Sam Larry, among others, were subsequently arrested in connection with the case.
Mohbad’s body was exhumed on September 21, 2023, for an autopsy. However, a pathologist testified before the Coroner’s Court on May 15, 2024, that the cause of death could not be determined due to the body’s decomposition.
Additionally, NEWS REVIEW reported that a US-based lab denied claims made by the Lagos State Government that a toxicology test was conducted at its facility. This was revealed after a fact-finding mission by the publication’s correspondent.
In response to NEWS REVIEW’s inquiry on May 17, Esther Dede, Client Services Associate, Forensics Division at NMS Labs, confirmed, “Unfortunately, we do not have a case for that patient.”
However, Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, clarified in a document sent to the correspondent that the lab did confirm the receipt of postmortem samples. The document, which included a response from NMS Labs to the Attorney General of Lagos State, Lawal Pedro, read:
“We are responding to your office’s request to confirm that NMS Labs tested postmortem samples identified as belonging to Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad. NMS received postmortem samples from ITSI Biosciences, a Pennsylvania-based lab, and completed toxicological testing, reporting the findings on April 9, 2024.”
