The Coroner Court investigating the death of Pelumi Onifade, a young journalist reportedly shot and arrested while covering the #EndSARS protests on October 24, 2020, has given the Chief Medical Director of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) 14 days to provide a report on the whereabouts of an unidentified body tagged 1385.
The body was said to have been received from Ikorodu General Hospital on November 3, 2020, with a post-mortem conducted later that month.
The fresh order was issued on March 3, 2026, by the investigating magistrate, Mrs. Temitope Oladele, following a request by Mr. Alimi Adamu, representing Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and the Onifade family.
The order comes after LASUTH failed to comply with an earlier directive from November 18, 2025, which required the hospital to produce “a comprehensive and specific report” relating to the body.
At the proceedings, Mr. Adamu informed the court that Pelumi’s parents, Olatunde Onifade and Bose Onifade, were present. Magistrate Oladele formally expressed condolences to the family.
Lawyers reported that the protracted strike at LASUTH, which had stalled progress, had ended, but attempts to confirm compliance with the previous order were inconclusive.
Mr. Adamu subsequently requested a fresh order directed specifically at the Chief Medical Director of LASUTH.
Magistrate Oladele granted the application, mandating the Chief Medical Director to submit a report on body 1385 within 14 days. Proceedings were adjourned to March 24, 2026.
The coroner’s inquest into Pelumi Onifade’s death was convened following a Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Ayokunle Olayinka Faji on July 19, 2024. The judgment directed the Attorney-General of Lagos State to ensure a full investigation into the circumstances of Onifade’s death and to conduct a coroner’s inquest to ascertain cause of death and identify those responsible.