Call For Investigation Of The Death Of Journalist, Pelumi Onifade Intensifies, As Court Wades In

By Akinwale Kasali

The corpse of 20-Year Old Pelumi Onifade, a Journalist with Gboah TV, was found at the Ikorodu Mortuary.

Onifade was arrested by the Police Task Force attached to the Lagos State Police Command during the #EndSARS protest in 2020, while covering the event, and had not been seen, or heard from, until his body was found in the Mortuary.

This led to the call for a thorough investigation into his death.

The Media Rights Agenda, MRA, had taken up the case, filing a suit against the Police and the Lagos State Government demanding for an investigation into his death and circumstances surrounding how his body was found at Ikorodu Mortuary.

A Federal High Court in Lagos has given a verdict,  mandating the Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-olu led Lagos State Government to investigate the death of Onifade.

The Court’s decision, delivered by Justice Ayokunle Olayinka Faji, includes an order for a coroner’s inquest to determine the cause of Mr. Onifade’s death and to identify and prosecute those responsible.

Idowu Adewale, MRA Communication Officer, in a statement on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, said the Group was bent on getting justice for the deceased.

Justice Faji acknowledged that while the Lagos State Attorney-General cannot conduct an inquest without a case file, section 74 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State empowers him to request it from the Commissioner of Police.

Although the Court dismissed five of MRA’s claims against the Police due to insufficient evidence, Justice Faji noted that the Attorney-General did not contest any facts in MRA’s affidavit but raised a legal issue instead. The Attorney-General’s counsel also committed to conducting an inquest during oral arguments.

The suit, filed on August 4, 2021, by Lagos-based lawyer, Charles Musa, sought declarations that Onifade’s shooting and subsequent arrest by Police agents violated his fundamental rights.

MRA also requested the court to direct the authorities to investigate the death transparently and independently, conduct a coroner’s inquest, and prosecute those found responsible.

Justice Faji highlighted that the Police did not respond to the suit, and there was no supporting documentation for claims about the mortuary. Despite this, he commended the Attorney-General’s office for its cooperation and noted that the Attorney-General had a duty to conduct an inquest into Onifade’s death.

The Lagos State Government is yet to respond to this verdict by the Court.