The African Democratic Congress, (ADC), has vowed to investigate allegations of Permanent Voter Cards,(PVC) purchase from citizens across parts of Northern Nigeria.
Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of ADC, in a statement, alerted Nigerians to reports of an alleged organised operation to purchase and collect Permanent Voter Cards, (PVC) from citizens across parts of Northern Nigeria.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi, the party claimed it has received multiple reports that individuals acting in the interest of the ruling party, were paying money to vulnerable citizens in exchange for their PVCs.
The ADC pointed out that it is taking all necessary steps to document the reports and gather credible evidence on the individuals behind the operation.
“This is not ordinary vote-buying. A PVC collected from its rightful owner cannot ordinarily be used by another person because accreditation requires biometric verification.
“The real objective may therefore be to prevent targeted citizens from voting altogether. This is organised voter suppression, and it represents a direct assault on the constitutional rights of Nigerians,” the party said.
The ADC called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) and security agencies to launch an immediate investigation into the reports, identify those financing and coordinating the alleged operation, and prosecute all individuals found purchasing, collecting or unlawfully retaining voters’ cards.
The party urged citizens approached by PVC buyers to refuse their offers, preserve any available evidence and report the incident immediately to INEC, the security agencies or the nearest ADC office.
“The same ruling party under whose watch millions of Nigerians have been pushed deeper into poverty must not be allowed to weaponise that poverty against them.
“Those who have failed to earn the people’s confidence must not be permitted to purchase their silence,” Abdullahi said.
“A PVC is not merely a piece of plastic. It is the citizen’s voice, power and protection against bad government. The money offered for it may last for one day, but the consequences of surrendering it will last for four years.”
The ADC also called on civil society organisations, election observers, the media, traditional rulers, religious leaders and community associations to intensify public sensitisation and help expose any attempt to disenfranchise Nigerians ahead of the 2027 elections.
The party warned that the purchase or collection of PVCs must not be dismissed as routine political misconduct, stressing that any coordinated effort to remove voting cards from the hands of citizens amounts to an attempt to predetermine the election by deciding who will be allowed to participate.
“To every Nigerian, particularly voters across the North, our message is simple: keep your PVC, protect your power and use it.
“Do not allow anyone to turn your present hardship into their electoral advantage. Your vote belongs to you, and no one has the right to take it away.”
“After God na Government. I thank Governor Soludo for pardoning me”.
Those were the words of controversial Anambra State native doctor, Chidozie Nwangwu, popular as Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki, after regaining freedom.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra had magnanimously pardoned Akwa Okuko, who was sentenced to 11 months in prison by an Awka High Court in February 2026. He had pleaded guilty to multiple charges linked to “Oke ite” and other related offences.
Recall that the Court had also ordered the demolition of his shrine in Oba and directed him to publicly renounce the practice after his release.
When he was sentenced to prison by the Court, several persons, including youths, had pleaded on his behalf, but Governor Soludo said he could consider granting Akwa Okuko a pardon after the Court process was concluded.
Not rescinding on the promise made to Oba youths, the Governor ordered his release. To cap it, Soludo also appointed him an Ambassador for Youths! Then, he and Soludo, walked out from one of offices in the prison, holding hands, with the convict looking very chubby and holding and smiling like he won a million-dollar lottery.
Since his release, the social media has been on fire with comments and reactions from netizens.
While some lauded Governor Soludo for not reneging on his promise, others made jokes of the release of the native doctor, linking the development to Soludo’s administration’s strides.
#EasyplugStore: After God na Government! Government go humble you ooooo.
#obiudo_chukwudi: Make him no do Oke ite for now oooo, make him wait till Soludo finish his tenure to avoid second prison.
#IenaMichaels: strategist …. we nor gree … NDC … we move … kip dragging peter obi.
#IenaMichaels: he knws he’s losing our vote next year.
#AOchiawuto: The worst governor in the history of Anamabra State. Claiming to be a professor when an illiterate is better than him. He want to use Okwa Okuko, to calm down the mess he created. What is 3 weeks. Akwa has finished serving his term in prison. Foolish man.
#ChiefNdiOrlu: Akwa Okuko juju don give Soludo sleepless night so tey the mumu Anambra State Governor don finally release am.
@#Surlymarn: They don finally released my oga inlaw.
#cochavafarms: No worry.. Akwa is coming out with a new format, mugu full Nigeria na you no get format.
#whogoesyou231: Heard stories about him and how pride wan finish am. Plus the scams he coordinated too.
#akinWeb3: Soludo said go and sin no more and Akwa Okuko collected the receipt.
#CUkpabia: Souludo is a fool I swear.
#kaaTruthsUpdate: From native doctor to youth reformation ambassador — a remarkable turn of events.
#therealchuno: Better Kolo dey worry Soludo
#MikeMat14769104: Lol. Let’s know if he would go back to his okeite business.
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, has continued to receive support over his claim that he did not bequeath any debt at the end of his tenure as Anambra state governor.
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, that was the Managing Director of Diamond Bank (now Access Bank), which was one of the banks of the Anambra State Government at that time, claimed to have helped Obi to convert about N155 million into dollars, which were then placed in Eurobonds, and was placed into tier two capital across Diamond Bank, Fidelity Bank, and Access Bank, with maturity dates extending beyond 2014.
In a post circulated on social media immediately after the Anambra State government’s claim was made public, the Abia State governor said Obi left “substantial savings and investments behind when he finished his term as Anambra governor in 2014.
According to him, Obi initially wanted to keep the funds in cash, but the bank advised him to invest them instead.
Director General of World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, defended Obi, over the allegations that he left huge debts and loans, including salary of workers and pensions, by the Anambra State Government when he left as governor of the state in 2014.
This is as the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Obi’s support group, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, released Obi’s handover note showing that he left N86.7 billion net balance.
The Anambra State Government had accused Obi of leaving behind an outstanding external loan of about N127.37billion as of June 30, 2026.
The state government, in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Law Mefor, described Obi’s claims about the state’s debt profile as “wild” and “verifiably false.
“We have no time to join issues. We will simply state the facts here for the records,” Mefor said, alleging eight external loans obtained during or inherited into Obi’s administration remained outstanding, with a combined balance of $92.35 million, equivalent to N127.37 billion, as of June 30, 2026.
The loans, according to the statement, were tied to projects including malaria control, Fadama development, healthcare, education, community development, erosion control and valuechain development.
The loans the state government listed to include a $48.33 million additional financing for the Malaria Control Booster Project, of which $37.34 million remained outstanding as of June 30, 2026; $37.89 million Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project loan, with $34.86 million outstanding.
“Evidently, HE Peter Obi borrowed for malaria, erosion control, education, healthcare, etc.
“So far, this government pays hundreds of millions of naira every month to service these debts and we are not complaining,” the state government claimed.
Okonjo Iweala, who held important positions during the time Obi was Anambra State governor, in previous positions, disputed the claim.
Dr. Okonjo-Iweala was Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy.
Obi’s supporters also flaunted statements from Dr. Okonjo-Iweala as Finance minister where she praised Obi for fiscal responsibility as Anambra governor, describing him as the “most fiscally responsible governor in Nigeria.”
The WTO Director General was quoted to have said: “I am proud of my brother, Gov. Peter Obi: ‘He came, he saw, he conquered’.
“His governance of Anambra State was full of experiences worth-sharing and indeed worth capturing in a book (if not books). It is evident that he really conquered.
Peter Obi
“It deals a lot with His Excellency’s approach to governance over the years. His ways compel us to appreciate his personal qualities, his quiet strength, his passion to make a difference, his dignified and dignifying carriage and conduct, and his never-saydie spirit.
“I also respect him for what he achieved as a governor of one of the toughest states in the country – Anambra.”
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has acknowledged that security challenges remained a major obstacle to Nigeria’s development.
Akpabio declared that Nigeria’s security challenge will soon be defeated, while declaring that the banking sector is now stronger and more resilient than before.
He gave the assurance in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and publicly, Iseme Sunday Eyiboh on Friday adding “Insecurity is a direct enemy of development.
“No foreign investor will build in an atmosphere of chaos, and no local business can thrive without safety.”
Akpabio pointed out that security agencies had shifted from a reactive approach to a more proactive confrontation of criminal elements.
“The security forces are taking the fight directly to the enclaves of criminals, bandits, and insurgents.
“The strategy has shifted from reaction to proactive confrontation, and I assure Nigerians that insecurity will be defeated.”
The Senate President also called for greater cooperation between citizens and security agencies, saying military hardware alone could not end criminality.
He urged Nigerians to provide credible and timely information to security authorities, describing citizens as a critical source of intelligence.
“Security is a collective civic responsibility.
Our security personnel are working tirelessly on the frontlines, but they rely on actionable intelligence from the communities they protect.”
He urged citizens to end the culture of silence and report suspicious activities to the appropriate authorities.
“If you see something, say something to the proper authorities,” he added.
Akpabio also acknowledged the temporary economic challenges faced by Nigerians, saying the sacrifices being made were part of efforts to address structural problems and build a stronger economy says the reform has already yielding results
“We acknowledge the sacrifices of the Nigerian people. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his cabinet members are not resting on their oars.”
He said the administration remained committed to implementing policies aimed at creating a more prosperous future for Nigerians.
The Senate President urged Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to support national development and work with government institutions.
“Let us stand united, support our security agencies, and work hand-in-hand with this administration to build the nation of our dreams.”
The Federal Government has assured that investigation into what caused the death of suspected 37 miners, while in custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC) will unravel facts behind the incident.
Already, NSCDC commandant general has approved the suspension of Niger State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye and his team following the death of 37 suspected illegal miners, while in custody.
Government expressed sorrow over the tragic loss of life, following the incident involving persons arrested during enforcement operations against suspected illegal mining activities in the Wushishi/Lukoto axis of Niger State.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, conveyed the condolences of the Federal Government to the Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umaru Bago, the people of the State, the traditional leadership and people of Wushishi, and particularly the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.
Idris pointed out that the Federal Government regards the protection of the lives, dignity and fundamental rights of every Nigerian as a solemn responsibility, stressing that the circumstances surrounding the deaths require a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation.
He noted that the Federal Government has already taken immediate steps to establish the facts, with the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, ordering the suspension of the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, and directing a full investigation into the incident.
“The swift action taken by the Honourable Minister of Interior underscores the seriousness with which the Federal Government views this matter.
“The investigation will be allowed to establish exactly what happened, and the Government assures Nigerians that appropriate action will be taken based on its findings.”
The Minister stressed that while the Federal Government remains committed to combating illegal mining and other unlawful activities which threaten national security, economic resources and the environment, all enforcement operations are expected to be conducted within the law and with respect for human life and dignity.
“There will be no attempt to shield anyone found culpable. At the same time, we mustn’t prejudge the outcome of the investigation.
“The Government’s responsibility is to ensure that the facts are established and that justice is served.”
Idris appealed for calm in Wushishi and across Niger State, urging residents and all concerned parties to allow the investigation to proceed without interference.
He assured the families of the deceased and the people of Niger State that the Federal Government shares in their grief and remains committed to ensuring that the circumstances surrounding the tragedy are fully established.
The Minister prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and for Almighty Allah to grant their families, the Wushishi community, and the Government and people of Niger State the strength and fortitude to bear the loss.
Citing revelations from an International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration in Paris, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has called on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race.
The council, alleged that revelations from an International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration in Paris have raised fresh questions about Atiku handling of the Mambila Hydroelectric Power Project.
This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, by the APC campaign council, through its spokesman, Dele Alake.
The council claimed that Atiku, who was Vice-President under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, worked with former Power Minister, Olu Agunloye, in the controversial award of a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contract to Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited.
According to the council, the contract, relating to the proposed 3,960MW Mambila Hydroelectric Power Project in Taraba State, was signed despite objections and reservations reportedly expressed by Obasanjo and the Federal Executive Council.
It further cited proceedings before the ICC tribunal in Paris involving claims by Sunrise Power and businessman Leno Adesanya against the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The APC council, stated that the arbitration proceedings examined a $500,000 payment made in January 2003 to an account belonging to Jennifer Douglas, Atiku’s then-wife, and her alleged connection to the subsequent award of the Mambila contract to Sunrise.
The council quoted the tribunal as observing: “There is a close connection in time between the moment the USD 500,000 payment was made to the wife of Vice-President Abubakar on 30 January 2003 and the alleged award of the BOT contract to Sunrise on 22 May 2003.”
The APC campaign council alleged that the controversy surrounding the contract exposed Nigeria to substantial financial claims after the government subsequently declined to proceed with the agreement.
It said Sunrise and Adesanya had sought substantial compensation from Nigeria, including a claim of more than $2.7 billion in a related arbitration concerning disputes over the Mambila project.
The council also drew parallels between the Mambila dispute and the country’s earlier legal battle over the P&ID gas project, arguing that both cases demonstrate the financial risks associated with controversial contracts involving the Federal Government.
The APC statement further alleged that Atiku did not appear in Paris to give evidence in support of the claim, while former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Muhammadu Buhari appeared in proceedings to defend Nigeria’s interests.
It also referenced criticisms of Atiku contained in Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch, particularly allegations concerning corruption, disloyalty, transparency and the prioritisation of personal interests over national interest.
The campaign council consequently urged Atiku to withdraw from the presidential contest, describing the Mambila-related allegations as part of what it called a broader record requiring public scrutiny.
It also appealed to residents of Taraba State to consider the implications of the stalled Mambila project, arguing that its successful implementation would have generated significant economic benefits for the state and the country.
Following violent protests by aggrieved artisanal miners and vandals, Niger State Governor, Umaru Bago, has declared an immediate 24-hour curfew across Minna and metropolis after Jumu’ah prayers.
The unrest followed the discovery of the 37 bodies among a group of about 67 people arrested at an illegal mining site in M.I Wushishi and held in Civil Defence cells.
Aggrieved youths and artisanal miners in the early hours of Friday took into the streets attacking residents and destroying properties including government and private owned vehicles including shops and Banks.
It took the intervention of Mobile Policemen and other security agencies to put the situation under control as roads were blocked.
Governor Bago disclosed this when he received a federal government delegation led by the Minister of Interior, Tunji Ojo, describing the incident as tragic and unacceptable.
While thanking the federal government for commiserating with the state over the deaths of 37 persons in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Minna, Governor Bago urged residents to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary movement until further notice.
According to him “immediately after the Friday mosque, we are putting a 24-hour curfew here in Minna. Subsequently, it will be dusk to dawn (6pm to 6am).
“All the buses we have at the State Transport Company have been vandalized, Sterling bank attacked, Political Party offices destroyed, People’s businesses destroyed.
“Vandals are taking over the streets and there is the need for us to curtail these things so that we can have calm in the main time.”
In his remarks, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo expressed the federal government’s deep sympathy and assured that the incident would not be allowed to slide.
According to him “President Bola Tinubu is concerned and the Ministry of Interior would collaborate fully with the Niger State Government to get to the root of the matter and prevent any recurrence.”
Earlier, while addressing the Press, Governor Bago assured that the government would take steps to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and ensure that the matter was thoroughly investigated.
“We have constituted a committee of inquiry to investigate the incident, even though separate investigations had also been initiated by relevant security agencies.
“The NSCDC Commandant in Niger State and his team have been suspended to allow for an impartial investigation into the incident.”
Governor Bago stressed that the government would not allow the matter to be ignored, saying the investigation would go deep enough to establish what actually happened.
“Lives of human beings are lives of human beings. We will not tolerate any kind of injustice, and we are going to make sure that we probe deeply until we get to the root”.
The governor, however, cautioned against drawing conclusions on the cause of the deaths before the completion of forensic and medical investigations.
He said possible causes being considered include suffocation arising from overcrowding in the detention cells, as well as possible exposure to hazardous substances associated with illegal mining activities.
“There is no official root cause of these deaths yet. It is too early for anybody to draw into conclusion on the root causes,” he said.
Governor Bago explained that forensic examinations, medical assessments and autopsies were being conducted to establish the scientific cause of death.
“As a government, we are also compiling a register of the deceased to enable us identify and contact their families. But, we appeal to youths and other residents to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their hands.
“Violence would not bring back those who had died. We are calling on all the youths to please stay away from violence, it will rather cost us a lot at the end of the day.”
He assured the families of the deceased that government would reach out to them and provide necessary support.
Some Judicial Officers in Edo State may enjoy retirement age up to 65 years if a bill to that effect is assented to by Governor Monday Okpebholo.
Already the State House of Assembly has passed a bill for a law to amend the Edo State Retirement Age of Magistrates and Presidents of Area Customary Courts.
The bill also provides for the extension of the retirement age of state counsel in the Ministry of Justice.
This followed the submission of the report of the Joint Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions; and Rules, Business and Government House on the Bill, by the member representing Esan North-East I Constituency, Mr. Addeh Isibor.
The report which has six findings and three recommendations, was considered and adopted by the committee of the whole House.
The bill also extends the retirement age of Magistrates, Presidents of Area Customary Courts, and Counsel in the Ministry of Justice from sixty years to sixty-five years.
It also extends their service period to forty years, depending on whichever comes first.
After the passage of the bill, the Speaker of the House, Prince Yekini Idaiye, directed the Clerk, Alhaji Yahaya Omogbai, to transmit clean copies of the bill to the Governor Okpebholo, for his assent.
Journalist and political analyst, Mr. Babajide Kolade-Otitoju, has defended the position of the governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over their position not to work with the rainbow coalition, a group being backed by the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
He traced the decision of governors to distance themselves from the rainbow coalition to a series of direct contests in which Wike, is backing candidates against the preferred successors of sitting governors.
The APC Governors Forum had resolved that its members would not support any arrangement capable of undermining the party, weakening its structures, or affecting its candidates, and said they remain committed to the party and its political structure for the 2027 elections.
Asked why the governors are uncomfortable with a minister who has consistently declared his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Kolade-Otitoju, speaking on a journalists’ discussion programme, said the answer lies not in the presidential race at all, but in the governorship contests that follow it.
“There are a number of reasons for that,” he said, before setting out three states in which he says the minister has fielded a direct challenge.
On Kwara, he said the minister is backing a candidate brought forward to challenge the person the state governor has produced as the party’s candidate.
“So this is direct confrontation that is to take place,” he said.
On Gombe, he said the sitting governor has put forward a man whose surname is Gwamna, observing wryly that the word means governor in Hausa.
“So he has brought a man who wants to be governor and his name is governor.
“Now Wike has brought a different person, the former Minister of Communications. Pantami is his candidate in Gombe. That’s another direct confrontation. The governor has a different person.”
On Imo State, he said the minister is supporting a PDP candidate who is not the person the governor is backing.
“He already has someone that he is backing to be governor in that place, and that person is different from the person that Hope is backing.”
Nyesom Wike
The analyst pointed out that the minister’s method has been to gather politicians who lost out in the ruling party’s primaries.
“What Wike has done is, aggrieved people who came out of the APC primaries. They are people that he has brought closer to himself and given them the wings to fly.”
He cited a defection in Kwara in support: “So you see that in Kwara, Saliu Mustapha, the senator representing Kwara Central, he has defected to the PDP.”
He noted that the platform in question is the faction of the party recognised in law, and said commentators had for a long time treated a rival faction as authentic notwithstanding that it had lost in court.
The analyst then advanced what he described as the strategic logic of the arrangement, arguing that the minister is denying the leading opposition candidate a pool of disaffected politicians.
“So what Wike is doing is his best to stop Atiku from winning the election, because if these people were not harvested by him, they would have gone to the other side.
Do you get the point I’m making? And he is the President’s supporter.
“But if he left them to go to Atiku, it will strengthen them. They will galvanise support for Atiku and weaken the President’s chances.
So in a way he’s indirectly still working for the President, and he has not denied that.”
On the governors’ motivation, Kolade-Otitoju was blunt, describing their position as enlightened self-interest.
“These governors see him as a threat to their desire to supplant themselves with their preferred candidates.
“And those preferred candidates are the candidates that won the primary election that they pretended not to be involved in.
“Even though they were not physically seen to be doing it, we all know that these were the people that they supported.”
He said the resulting position is a straightforward conflict of interest.
“All of you are supporting the President, but you are also working against their own interest, because they want APC to win in that state.
‘Now you brought candidates against APC in those states. You don’t expect them to be giving you a pat on the back or pumping hands with you when you have brought people who could potentially stop them from being able to produce their successors. So it is a conflict of interest now that is at play.”
While defending the minister’s right to operate as he has, Kolade-Otitoju was sharply critical of his public conduct, saying the quarrel was avoidable and that the minister struck first.
“There is no point fighting Wike. The only problem is that Wike, in his media chats, says things that he ought not to say. That’s my query with him. When he attacked the governor, there was no need for it.
“In that media chat, for example, the governor hardly talks to anybody. He doesn’t grant interviews. He just goes his way. But you went to a media chat to take him on.”
He pressed the point with an illustration: “If a governor has someone that he wants to become the next governor of his state, and you have brought a person to challenge that person and probably even defeat that person, you expect him to be happy with you? When they are saying that you brought a threat?”
He said the same restraint should have applied in Imo: “I know that they’ve been having issues, the uneasy relationship between him and Hope especially.
“But I believe that is their problem. I do not talk about it, but I knew that they had issues. Now, Hope has never come out publicly to say it.
“We all know they have an uneasy relationship, but it is still Wike who came out to openly attack them. So that’s why they too have come out to speak in this manner.”
His prescription was that each side stay in its own lane: “There’s no reason for them to openly show the divisions amongst them.
“Allow Wike to run his thing, and Wike should not interfere in the internal affairs of the APC.
“Remain in your PDP, but don’t interfere in the internal affairs of the APC. And there’s no need for you to be attacking key people in the APC, because when you do that, they will fight back.”
After years of unending investigation over the circumstances that led to the disappearance and subsequent death of young Journalist, Pelumi Onifade of Gboah TV, while covering the #EndSars protest in 2020, a Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Postmortem report has confirmed that Onifade died from a penetrating firearm injury to the abdomen.
The report issued by the LASUTH Postmortem stated that the firearm projectile caused extensive abdominal injuries and massive internal bleeding.
Recall that Onifade was a young journalist with Gboah TV who was reportedly shot and arrested while covering events in Lagos on October 24, 2020. His whereabouts remained unknown for several years, until recently when his body was found in a mortuary.
The findings by the LASUTH postmortem was disclosed by Media Rights Agenda, MRA, on Thursday, September 17, 2026, in a nine-page postmortem report, listed the cause of death as “massive haemoperitoneum” and “penetrating firearms injury to the abdomen.”
Massive haemoperitoneum refers to a severe accumulation of blood inside the abdominal cavity.
It was gathered that the projectile entered through Onifade’s lower back and caused extensive internal damage.
It also recorded bone fragments embedded in the abdominal soft tissue and a fracture of the fifth lumbar vertebra.
According to the pathologist, the projectile travelled from the back towards the front, from right to left and from a lower to a higher position.
Consultant pathologist, Prof. Sunday Sokunle Soyemi conducted the examination, with Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa present as supervising consultant.
The report was finalised and signed on July 30, 2026. The body examined was initially identified as number 1385.
DNA analysis by the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre later confirmed that the remains were Onifade’s.
Following this development, the postmortem report has been submitted to the Coroner’s court investigating the death of Onifade.
The inquest followed a 2024 Federal High Court judgment directing the Lagos State Government to investigate the circumstances surrounding Onifade’s death.
Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court had directed authorities to conduct a coroner’s inquest to determine the cause of death and identify those responsible.
The legal action was initiated by Media Rights Agenda, MRA, against the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police Force.
The coroner’s proceedings have examined the circumstances surrounding Onifade’s disappearance and death.
The latest forensic findings established that his fatal injuries resulted from a firearm projectile.
However, the question of who fired the weapon and the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain matters for the ongoing legal proceedings.
The coroner’s inquest has been adjourned until October 6, 2026.
The proceedings are expected to continue examining evidence surrounding Onifade’s death and the events leading to his disappearance.
