Mohbad: Fans Takes To The Street Of Lagos, Delta As Protests Enters Second Day
As the death of AAfrobeat singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba popularly known as Mohbad remains shrouded in controversy, fans in Lagos and Delta on Wednesday took to the streets to demand justice. This follows similar protests in Ogun and Ondo State.
The Afrobeats singer lost his life last Tuesday aged 27 under what many have termed mysterious circumstances, prompting the acting Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to order a “thorough” probe by the Lagos State Police Command.
Protesters came out en masse in some areas of Lagos State with one of the protests starting from the Alagbado axis of AIT Road and moving to the Command area, then to Ile-Iwe in Meiran.
The rallies went on amid tight security, with at least four police patrol vans loaded with armed officers accompanying the protesters.
Over 200 youths were clad in black tops with placards of different inscriptions seeking justice for Mohbad.
There were also similar protests in Warri, Delta State.
On Tuesday, hundreds of protesters rallied in Abeokuta, Ogun State, and Akure, the Ondo State capital, seeking justice for the late singer.
The youths, all in black T-shirts began the rally from the popular Panseke Market area in the state capital and went through Oke-Ilwo and other locations in the capital.
They carried placards bearing various inscriptions like, “Justice for Mohbad,” and asked the “government to arrest Naira Marley and Sam Larry” amongst others.
Reacting to public outcry earlier this week, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State on Tuesday invited the Department of State Services (DSS) to join the probe of Mohabd’s demise.
“I would like to assure everyone that I am not oblivious to the sad passing of Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Imole Aloba (Mohbad). We have been closely working behind the scenes with relevant authorities, and keenly following the ongoing investigations,” he posted on X.
“However, in order to boost the investigations, I have invited the Department of State Services (DSS) to join the investigation and widen the dragnet with inter-agency collaboration and use of best-in-class technology to unearth the truth.
“I have instructed that all those who may have played any role whatsoever in any event leading to the death of MohBad be made to face the law after a thorough investigation.”
The governor also pleaded with those who have information that may assist the probe to do so.
In a similar vein, the law firm of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, requested a coroner’s inquest into the death of the late Mohbad.
In a letter dated September 18, 2023, and addressed to the Chief Coroner of the High Court of Lagos State, Justice Mojisola Dada, the firm described the singer’s death as “very tragic” and noted that it happened under “mysterious” circumstances.
Folakemi Falana, who signed the letter on behalf of the firm, urged the Chief Coroner to cause an inquest to be conducted to unravel the circumstances surrounding the tragic death.
“Given the needless death of Ilerioluwa Oladimejl Aloba, we are compelled to request you to use your good offices to cause a coroner’s inquest to be conducted into the cause of death of this young promising musician and make appropriate recommendations pursuant to Section 15 of the Lagos State Coroner’s Law 2007 which provides that an inquest shall hold whenever a coroner is informed that the death of a deceased person within his Coroner District is as a result of a death in a violent, unnatural or suspicious situation,” the statement read.
“We hereby request Your Lordship to conduct an inquest into the circumstances surrounding this tragic death in Lagos State and we are confident that Your Lordship will accede to our request with utmost urgency.”
