Court Mandates New Investigation Into Mohbad’s Death Case

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted permission for a fresh legal action seeking to compel the Nigeria Police Force to reopen investigations into the death of Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.

According to Ireporter Online, the ruling followed an application filed by the Registered Trustees of Break the Silence Foundation, a civil society organisation, which approached the court through its counsel to seek judicial intervention over what it described as an incomplete and unsatisfactory investigation into the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death.

Justice James Omotosho, who delivered the ruling on Wednesday, approved the request and allowed the group to proceed with its suit against the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State. The court also permitted the organisation to pursue orders compelling the police to carry out their statutory duties under the Police Act, including a comprehensive investigation into all individuals who had contact with the late singer before his death.

Mohbad, who died in September 2023 in Lagos, has remained at the centre of public concern and controversy, with widespread calls for a transparent investigation into the circumstances of his passing.

In the ruling, the court further held that the police could be directed to invite and question key individuals connected to the case, including his wife, close associates, and his father, while also leaving open the possibility of arrest and prosecution of any person found culpable based on evidence gathered during the renewed investigation.

The court additionally validated substituted service on the Lagos State Police Command through the Legal Department of the Inspector-General of Police in Abuja. The matter has been adjourned until May 4 for further hearing.

Court documents revealed that the applicant argued that although some steps were initially taken, including the arrest and prosecution of a nurse who attended to the singer, several individuals who were reportedly present around the time of his death were not thoroughly investigated. The group further maintained that earlier public directives for a reopened inquiry were not fully executed, leading to renewed calls for judicial intervention.