Court Sets Sept 29 for Judgment on Fresh Probe Into Mohbad’s Death

A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed September 29, 2026, for judgment in a suit seeking to compel the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to reopen investigations into the death of Nigerian singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.

Justice James Omotosho fixed the date on Thursday after counsel to the applicant, Chief Tunde Falola, adopted all processes filed on behalf of the plaintiff and urged the court to grant the reliefs sought.

Notably, the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, listed as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents, were absent from the proceedings and had no legal representation in court.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/363/2026, was instituted by the Registered Trustees of Break the Silence Foundation through a mandamus action seeking to compel the police to conduct a fresh and comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death.

According to the foundation, the earlier police investigation was incomplete and compromised, arguing that some individuals who were reportedly among the last people to see the singer alive were not thoroughly interrogated.

Mohbad died on September 12, 2023, in Lagos, triggering nationwide and international protests under the #JusticeForMohbad movement. He was buried the following day before his remains were later exhumed for an autopsy.

However, the autopsy failed to establish a definitive cause of death. Subsequently, a Lagos State Coroner’s Court ruled that the singer most likely died from a severe anaphylactic reaction to a tetanus injection administered by an unlicensed auxiliary nurse.

The coroner described the death as a case of medical negligence rather than foul play. The court also criticised the police for failing to act on petitions previously filed by Mohbad alleging threats to his life before his death.

Nearly three years after the singer’s passing, calls for justice continue, with many supporters maintaining that critical questions surrounding the case remain unanswered.

The court’s judgment, scheduled for September 29, is expected to determine whether the police will be compelled to reopen investigations into one of Nigeria’s most talked-about celebrity deaths.