Reported by Simon Daniel Yusuph l Journalist at Weng Global
The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed September 29, 2026, for judgment in a suit seeking to compel the Nigeria Police Force to reopen investigations into the death of Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
Justice James Omotosho fixed the date after hearing arguments in the case filed by the Registered Trustees of Break the Silence Foundation, a non-governmental organisation seeking a fresh investigation into the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/363/2026, names the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force and the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, as respondents.
Court to Decide Whether Police Should Reopen Investigation
The foundation is asking the court to issue an order of mandamus compelling the police to conduct another investigation into Mohbad’s death.
The organisation has argued that the earlier investigation did not adequately address several issues surrounding the singer’s death and that important leads and individuals who were reportedly among the last people to see him alive required further scrutiny.
At the June hearing, counsel to the foundation, Tunde Falola, adopted the legal processes filed on behalf of his client and urged the court to grant the reliefs sought.
None of the respondents was represented in court when the matter was called, according to reports of the proceedings.
The court is now expected to determine whether the circumstances presented by the foundation provide sufficient legal grounds to compel the police to undertake a fresh investigation.
Court Had Earlier Granted Leave for the Case
The latest proceedings followed an earlier ruling in April 2026, when Justice Omotosho granted the Break the Silence Foundation permission to commence the action.
According to Premium Times and NAN reporting, the foundation had initially approached the court through an ex-parte application seeking judicial review and an order of mandamus against the police authorities.
The court granted leave for the organisation to pursue the case and ordered that the originating processes be served on the relevant police authorities.
The foundation’s application was based on its position that the previous investigation into Mohbad’s death was inadequate.
The organisation also alleged that some people who were reportedly with the singer shortly before his death were not sufficiently investigated.
Those remain allegations advanced by the applicant and have not been established as findings of criminal responsibility by the court.
Separate Application to Join Case Dismissed
During the proceedings, the court also considered an application by Samson Obaboye, who sought to be joined as an interested party.
Obaboye told the court that he supported calls for truth, transparency and accountability over the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death and wanted to place relevant information before the court.
Justice Omotosho, however, dismissed the application after finding that Obaboye had not demonstrated sufficient legal interest in the case to justify his joinder.
The dismissal does not determine the main question before the court — whether the police should be compelled to reopen the investigation.
Mohbad’s Death and the Investigation
Mohbad died in Lagos on September 12, 2023, at the age of 27.
His death generated widespread public reaction and calls for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding it. He was buried the following day before his remains were exhumed on September 21, 2023, for an autopsy.
The investigation and subsequent legal processes have remained subjects of public interest, particularly because questions about the circumstances of the singer’s death have continued to circulate.
The autopsy conducted after his exhumation did not establish a definitive cause of death. Premium Times reported that a forensic scientist and pathologist who testified before a coroner’s inquest said the timing of the exhumation affected the ability to determine the cause of death.
Why the Fresh Investigation Bid Matters
The case is significant because it places the question of a renewed police investigation before a federal court nearly three years after Mohbad’s death.
For the Break the Silence Foundation, the issue is whether outstanding questions surrounding the death should be subjected to further police scrutiny.
For the police authorities, the court proceedings could determine whether they will be legally required to undertake another investigation based on the claims presented by the foundation.
The case also reflects the continuing public demand for clarity over the circumstances of Mohbad’s death and the broader questions of accountability that followed his death.
However, the court’s eventual decision will be based on the legal arguments and evidence before it, rather than public sentiment alone.
What Happens Next
The immediate next step is the judgment scheduled for September 29, 2026, before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The ruling will determine whether the reliefs sought by the Break the Silence Foundation, including its request for an order compelling the police to reopen the investigation, will be granted.
Until the judgment is delivered, it is inaccurate to state that the court has already rejected the suit or ordered a fresh police investigation.
The case therefore remains before the court, with the September 29 judgment date set to determine the next legal direction.
Weng Global – stories beyond borders
Sources
- Federal High Court, Abuja
- Channels Television
- Premium Times
- Punch
- TheCable
- The Nation
