The Mohbad Chronicle: Nigerians Await Autopsy Report
He died on Tuesday, was buried on Wednesday at Ikorodu, now, across the country, there are increasing calls for justice for Mohbad…
By Jonas Happy
Mohbad: His death has sparked off controversy and resulted in a full scaled police investigation.
From a depth, not less than six feet, where undertakers had hurriedly laid him to rest, Mohbad’s casket was exhumed.
There has been quite a lot of controversy on social media since his death was reported in the popular press, with many Nigerians urging law enforcement to take a closer look at how he died.
Some, including members of civil society organisations, celebrities in both the music and film industry have continued to insist that there may be something fishy about the hush-hush approach to bury him.
Those who think think the move to put his corpse away was hasty point to what seemingly looked like a frosty relationship between Sam Larry, Naira Marley and the late musical artiste,
Mohbad had asked Nigerians to hold Naira Marley responsible if anything was to happen to him.
There are reports that Sam Larry, a close associate of Naira Marley who is reportedly in hiding, had openly attempted to disrupt Mohbad’s recent video shoot.
There are equally claims that Marley and some of his strong associates in the Marlian movement allegedly took Mohbad through a lot of torment and harassment.
No one is sure how true it is, but some close associates of the late artiste say he was allegedly made to consume a white colored substance.
We Want Justice For Mohbad, Nigerians Demand:
The march for justice spread to Lagos on Thursday. Here the protesters and the police are seen marching side by side.Chronicles of events which may have transpired days before and after Mohbad’s death reveal shocking conspiracy theories; extol donations made by notable figures to Mohbad’s surviving family; and choreograph protests of activists marching on the streets.
On Tuesday, youths staged a peaceful protest in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Hundreds of youths March through streets in Abeokuta demanding justice for Mohbad.
They demanded immediate justice for Mohbad, the late Nigerian singer, whose real name is Ilerioluwa Aloba.
In Lagos a lawyer wrote to the Coroner asking for an inquest while the Lagos State Government asked the DSS to join the police in the investigation of Mohbad’s death.
In response to growing public outcry the Police visited what ought to be Mohbad’s last resting place, exhumed the body from the grave and took it for autopsy.
The autopsy is expected to provide a scientific explanation of what could have led to his death.
In the meantime, the police has announced that the autopsy has been successfully concluded.
“The Nigeria Police Force wishes to inform the public that the autopsy procedure for Mr. Mohbad has been successfully completed”, a statement issued on X Thursday night said.
The police statement however led to further public reactions on social media, with some commending the investigation and others saying they were anxiously waiting for the report to be made public.
The force which is reportedly working round the clock to unravel what could have happened added, “Further information will be provided as soon as the results are available.”
Why We Teargassed Them At Lekki:
In a related development, the Lagos State Police Command has taken steps to explain why it dispersed protesters who gathered Thursday night at the Lekki Toll Gate.
In a statement, the command said some protesters who gathered at Lekki chose to operate outside an understanding reached between it and the organizers of a candlelight procession.
Party of the statement released by the Lagos State Police Command read:
“The Lagos State Police Command is fully aware of false narratives making the rounds in relation to the dispersal of crowds at the Lekki Toll Gate yesterday, September 21, 2023.
“It is instructive to note that the Lagos State Police Command had an agreement with the organizers of the candle light procession that the procession was to end at 8pm latest and should terminate at Muri Okunola, Victoria Island.
“It was clearly stated for avoidance of doubt that in the interest of all Lagosians and considering the heavy use of the Lekki-Epe Expressway, the Lekki Toll Gate would be a no-go area.
“It, however, became disconcerting that after the procession duly ended at Muri Okunola park as agreed, with the police providing optimal security all through, some persons started gathering at the Lekki Toll Gate with intent to manifest objectives extraneous to the #justiceforMohbad initiative.
“Being a clear violation of the laid down agreement, the Lagos State Police Command invited the procession organizers who came back and joined the officers on ground in persuading the people at the toll gate to disperse peacefully.
“The organizers equally sent out messages on social media asking everyone to go home, clarifying in clear terms that it was not a protest but a procession which had been successfully concluded.
“This persuasion and appeal went on for hours, to which the police and organizers met defiance, both in words and action.
“At this point, all lanes in and out of Lekki had been totally blocked. Vehicular movement on the ever-busy expressway had been brought to a total standstill, leading to traffic build up.
“Having gone down this road before, having learnt from previous similar encounters, and having studied the pattern in the crowd, the red flags and early warning signs of total chaos and anarchy were discernible.
“Therefore, in fulfillment of our mandate to protect life and property, maintain law and order and prevent crimes, we adopted the least harmful method of crowd dispersal, following the failure of verbal persuasion – the use of teargas.
“Not a single live ammunition was fired! The police adopted crowd management best practices in engaging the unruly crowd. No life was lost neither was there any injury”, the police explained.