In a landmark judgment, the Federal High Court in Lagos has mandated the Lagos State Government to carry out a coroner’s inquest to determine the cause of death and identify those responsible for the demise of Mr. Pelumi Onifade. The 20-year-old reporter for Gboah TV was reportedly detained by officers of a Lagos state task force during the #EndSARS protests in 2020 and was later found dead in a mortuary in Ikorodu.
Delivering the verdict on a suit filed by the Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Justice Ayokunle Olayinka Faji underscored the Attorney-General’s obligation to investigate. He stated, “The Attorney-General has the power to request for a case-file from the Commissioner of Police as per section 74 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State.”
While dismissing five of MRA’s claims due to lack of evidence, Justice Faji noted, “The Attorney-General’s counsel undertook to conduct an inquest during oral arguments.” He further directed the Attorney-General to “take all necessary steps to investigate the circumstances of Mr. Onifade’s death and conduct a coroner’s inquest to ascertain the cause of death and prosecute those responsible.”
Charles Musa, the lawyer representing MRA, emphasized the constitutional and statutory obligations of the police and government, calling for a transparent investigation into Mr. Onifade’s death. Justice Faji, while recognizing the efforts of the Attorney-General’s office, stressed the importance of upholding justice and accountability in such cases.