There were emotional scenes at the Coroner’s Court on Tuesday as a DNA test confirmed that a previously unidentified body was that of Mr. Pelumi Onifade, the young journalist with Gboah TV who went missing while covering the #EndSARS protests on October 24, 2020.
The late journalist’s mother, Mrs. Adebose Onifade, broke down in tears after the investigating magistrate, Mrs. Temitope Oladele, announced that she had received a result from the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre confirming a DNA match between a previously unidentified body and the sample provided by Mrs. Onifade.
According to the result, the genetic analysis established that Mrs. Onifade is the biological mother of the previously unidentified body, thereby confirming it as that of Pelumi Onifade.
The ongoing inquest was convened following the order of the Federal High Court in Lagos after a wrongful death suit instituted by the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) against the Nigeria Police Force and the Lagos State Government. The suit sought, among other reliefs, an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the journalist’s death and the prosecution of those responsible.
In his judgment delivered on July 19, 2024, Justice Ayokunle Olayinka Faji directed the Attorney-General to ensure an investigation into the circumstances of Onifade’s death and conduct a coroner’s inquest to determine the cause of death and identify those responsible.
At the previous sitting on May 22, 2026, the Coroner had ordered the Chief Medical Examiner at the Department of Pathology and Forensic Medicine of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to produce within 21 days the autopsy report of a body identified with Tag No. 1385. The body was among six brought to LASUTH on November 3, 2020, and subsequently subjected to autopsy.
The Coroner also directed the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre to submit the DNA test result of the same body, following LASUTH’s disclosure that DNA samples collected from the bodies and reference samples from families who lost loved ones during the #EndSARS protests had been forwarded to the Centre for identification.
At the resumed hearing on June 23, 2026, counsel to MRA and the Onifade family, Mr. Alimi Adamu, alongside Mr. Monday Arunsi and Mr. Victor John, informed the court that both institutions had been duly served and sought clarification on whether they had complied with the court’s orders.
Responding, the Coroner disclosed that while she had received the sealed DNA report confirming the body’s identity, LASUTH had yet to provide the autopsy report.
She noted that LASUTH appeared overwhelmed by its workload but expressed confidence that the autopsy had either been conducted or ought to have been completed by now.
Mr. Adamu, however, argued that while he appreciated the court’s empathy for LASUTH, the deceased’s parents had endured years of pain and uncertainty in their search for answers and closure. He maintained that the need for repeated court orders demonstrated clear non-compliance.
The Coroner cautioned the lawyer against escalating the matter, saying, “With the way you are going, do not let me go and order the arrest of the Chief Examiner.”
In response, Mr. Adamu stated: “I am sure the court will do it if it is needful.”
The Coroner subsequently advised that administrative avenues be exhausted first, noting that she understood the family’s pain and desire for justice.
“I sympathise with you, and I commend you. This matter started years before it came to this point,” she said.
During extensive exchanges, Mr. Adamu insisted that the family had exercised remarkable restraint despite repeated denials by the police of any involvement in Pelumi’s death and their claims that he never died in police custody.
The Coroner, thereafter, directed that a final administrative reminder be issued to LASUTH for the immediate production of the autopsy report and advised the lawyers to physically visit the hospital to facilitate compliance.
She warned that if these efforts fail, the court would have no option but to invoke its full powers under the law to compel the production of the report, including taking measures against the responsible officials.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to July 7, 2026.
