The Coroner Court investigating the death of Mr. Pelumi Onifade, a journalist with Gboah TV who was allegedly shot and arrested while covering the #EndSARS protests on October 24, 2020, has issued new directives. The court ordered the Chief Medical Examiner of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to forward the autopsy report for an unidentified body tagged 1,385, believed to be Onifade's, within 21 days.
Court Orders DNA Test Results
Investigating Magistrate Mrs. Temitope Oladele also ordered the Director of the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre to submit the DNA test result for the same body within 21 days. The samples collected by LASUTH from the body and from Onifade's parents were sent to the centre for analysis.
The orders were issued during the resumed hearing of the inquest into Onifade's death. He was reportedly arrested by policemen attached to the Lagos State Task Force while covering the #EndSARS protests and later found dead at the Ikorodu General Hospital mortuary.
Background of the Inquest
The inquest was convened following a Federal High Court order in Lagos. This came after a wrongful death suit filed by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) against the Police and the Lagos State Government, demanding an investigation and prosecution of those responsible. In his judgment on July 19, 2024, Justice Ayokunle Olayinka Faji directed the Attorney-General to ensure an investigation and a coroner's inquest.
At the resumed hearing, Mr. Alimi Adamu, representing the deceased's family and MRA, urged the coroner to direct LASUTH to produce the autopsy report and the DNA centre to produce the test result. Adamu noted that during the previous sitting, the court had ordered the Chief Medical Director of Yaba General Hospital to report on the body's whereabouts. However, LASUTH's report indicated that the body with Tag No. 1385 had been transferred to the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Yaba Mortuary, not Yaba General Hospital.
Adamu argued that the LASUTH report confirmed an autopsy had been conducted and DNA samples forwarded to the centre. He urged the court to order both institutions to produce their reports.
The coroner initially expressed concerns about the DNA centre's operational status, given reports it was burnt during the #EndSARS protests. However, Adamu insisted the centre is still functioning from its office at 48 Broad Street, Lagos.
Ruling on the applications, Magistrate Oladele ordered the Chief Medical Examiner of LASUTH to forward the autopsy report for body Tag No. 1385 within 21 days. She also ordered the DNA centre director to forward the DNA test result for the same body within 21 days. The case was adjourned to June 23, 2026, for continuation.
