A Lagos District Coroner, Mrs. Temitope Oladele, has directed the Medical Director of Ikorodu General Hospital to provide Media Rights Agenda’s (MRA) legal team with records on the remains of late journalist Pelumi Onifade within seven days.
Onifade, a reporter with Gboah TV, died in police custody during the October 2020 #EndSARS protests. His body was later found at the Ikorodu General Hospital mortuary. The ongoing coroner’s inquest into his death was ordered by the Federal High Court in Lagos after MRA filed a wrongful death suit against the Nigeria Police Force and the Lagos State Government.
During proceedings on Friday, August 8, MRA’s lawyer, Monday Arunsi—alongside Ms. Jennifer Wala—told the coroner that hospital officials had refused to release information about when Onifade’s body was deposited, released, or its current status, citing medical confidentiality. The legal team had visited the hospital on July 31 in compliance with the court’s previous directive but were turned away.
Following Arunsi’s oral application, the coroner ordered the hospital to release the requested records or any other relevant documentation regarding the remains. She adjourned the matter to August 19 for mention.
The inquest follows a July 2024 judgment by Justice Ayokunle Faji, who ordered the Lagos State Attorney-General to ensure a thorough investigation into Onifade’s death, determine the cause, and identify those responsible for possible prosecution.
