Nigerians Await Mohbad’s Autopsy As Police Keep Mum

The Lagos Police Command is yet to release any information about the autopsy conducted on the remains of the late Nigerian singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba (Mohbad) whose body was exhumed 42 days ago.

Nigerians had clamoured for investigation of the circumstances that led to his death.

The police on September 21, announced the successful exhumation of Mohbad’s corpse for a pathological examination following the mysterious death of the singer on September 12.

On the same day, barely eight hours after the body was exhumed, the police announced it was awaiting results of the autopsy.

The police had also revealed at an October 6 press conference that “vital specimens were taken and sent to the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre for toxicology examination, the reports are still being awaited.”

Although the police had also revealed that the investigation team set up by the command to unravel the cause of Mohbad’s death at the time, pointed fingers at the auxiliary Nurse, Feyisayo Ogedemgbe who treated the singer at the deceased resident in Lekki, on September 11.

“She is a principal suspect in the death of Mohbad. She acknowledged that it was the injections that she administered to the deceased that triggered the reactions, which eventually led to Mohbad’s death.

“Other expert opinions and witnesses’ statements corroborated her admittance. Her actions of administering doses of tetanus toxoid paracetamol intravenous… injection, which was also administered intravenously at Mohbad’s residence in Lekki, immediately triggered the reactions, including vomiting, goosebumps and convulsion that eventually resulted in the singer’s death,” the police said

An autopsy is a medical examination of a body after death, and a preliminary report is usually available within the first few days while the full results are available around six to 12 weeks, depending on the complexity of the case. The result can also take longer in other consequences.

Although timeliness is critical, especially in cases where a coroner or the police need information for legal reasons on the cause of the death, the Lagos Command noted on October 6 that “substantial grounds have been covered well enough by the special investigation team to support the processing of the case file to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).”

The police noted that the case file was being duplicated at the time, and forwarded to the DPP for vetting and legal advice, the outcome of which would inform further investigative actions and prosecution.

The command also assured that it “would be availed of any further development in relation to the outcome of the autopsy and toxicology report, DPP advice, feedback from NDLEA and any other development the investigation to the case”.

However, weeks after, the police have not said anything about the autopsy.

All efforts to get the police to comment on the autopsy issue failed, as repeated calls and text messages sent to the phone of the Spokesperson of the Lagos Command, Ben Hundeyin, were not acknowledged as of press time.