Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has approved a petition by the family of late Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, seeking a fresh and comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
The development was disclosed by the singer’s family through its lawyer, Oladayo Ogungbe, in a statement dated September 29, 2026.
According to the lawyer, the petition submitted by the Aloba family has been approved by the IGP and forwarded to the Lagos State Police Command for further action. The matter has subsequently been assigned to officers of the Special Enquiry Bureau.
The fresh investigation comes nearly three years after Mohbad died on September 12, 2023, at the age of 27. His death generated widespread public attention in Nigeria and beyond, with continuing questions and legal proceedings concerning the circumstances surrounding his death.
Family Submitted Petition in April
Ogungbe said the Aloba family submitted its petition directly to the Inspector-General of Police on April 14, 2026.
The petition was received at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja on May 7, according to the family’s lawyer.
The family’s request reportedly raised concerns about inconsistencies in the earlier investigative process and called for what it described as a comprehensive forensic reconstruction of the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death.
The lawyer said the IGP subsequently approved the petition and directed that it be forwarded to the Lagos State Police Command.
The matter was later assigned to the Special Enquiry Bureau, a development that has now placed the case under a new investigative process.
Family Representative Engages New Investigators
The Aloba family said its representative has already been invited by the new investigative team and has engaged with officers handling the matter.
According to Ogungbe, the family has continued to follow up with investigators and remains involved in the process.
The family has also indicated its willingness to provide relevant documents, information, witnesses and other materials that could assist investigators in establishing the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death.
The development means the investigation is not simply a new public demand for authorities to revisit the case; according to the family’s account, the police process arising from its petition has already commenced.
However, no findings from the fresh investigation have been publicly announced.
Fresh Police Probe Separate From Abuja Court Case
The family’s clarification followed the September 25, 2026 dismissal of Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/363/2026 by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
That case was brought by the Registered Trustees of Break the Silence Foundation, which sought an order compelling the police to conduct another investigation into Mohbad’s death.
The Aloba family stressed that it was not the party that instituted the suit and that the case was separate from the petition it had submitted directly to the Inspector-General of Police.
The family therefore urged the public not to interpret the court’s dismissal of that separate case as an end to the police investigation arising from its own petition.
This distinction is important because the two developments involve different legal and investigative routes.
The court case sought judicial intervention to compel a fresh police investigation, while the Aloba family’s petition was submitted directly to the Inspector-General of Police and, according to the family, has already received approval.
Family Calls for Independent and Professional Investigation
The family has called on the police to conduct the new investigation with diligence, independence and professionalism.
It also said investigators should examine all relevant persons and circumstances connected to Mohbad’s death.
The family has emphasised that it does not want to prejudge the outcome of the investigation or conduct what it described as a “trial by media”. Instead, it is seeking a process capable of establishing the facts surrounding the singer’s death.
That position leaves the determination of responsibility or the circumstances of the death to investigators and, where applicable, the courts.
The approval of a fresh investigation should therefore not be interpreted as proof of wrongdoing by any individual or organisation. It means investigators have been authorised to examine the available evidence and circumstances again.
Mohbad’s Death and the Continuing Questions
Mohbad died on September 12, 2023, prompting intense public concern across Nigeria.
The singer, who had been associated with Marlian Music before his death, became the subject of extensive public discussion following reports about the circumstances surrounding his final days.
His remains were later exhumed for an autopsy, while investigations and legal proceedings continued to attract public attention.
The controversy surrounding the case has remained significant because of the public interest in determining the circumstances that preceded his death and whether all relevant evidence and witnesses were adequately examined.
The latest investigation now provides another formal opportunity for the authorities to review the available evidence.
At the same time, investigators will need to distinguish verified evidence from allegations and claims that have circulated publicly since 2023.
Why the Fresh Investigation Matters
The renewed police investigation is significant because it could potentially address questions that the family says were not adequately resolved during the earlier investigative process.
A comprehensive investigation would be expected to establish the relevant chronology, examine available forensic and documentary evidence, assess witness accounts and determine whether further investigative action is required.
The process also carries wider significance for public confidence in criminal investigations, particularly in cases that attract substantial public attention.
For the Aloba family, the central issue remains establishing what happened to Mohbad and ensuring that the relevant evidence is properly examined.
For the police, the challenge will be to conduct the process in a manner that is evidence-based, transparent within the limits of an active investigation and consistent with due process.
No conclusion should be drawn about the ultimate outcome until investigators complete their work and any subsequent legal processes are concluded.
What Happens Next
The fresh investigation is currently being handled by officers of the Special Enquiry Bureau after the IGP approved the family’s petition and it was forwarded to the Lagos State Police Command.
The Aloba family says its representative has already engaged with the new investigators and that it will continue to provide relevant information and materials.
The next significant development will be any official findings or investigative updates from the police.
Until then, the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death remain subject to investigation, and allegations or claims that have not been established by competent authorities should not be treated as proven facts.
The family has maintained that it wants a credible and comprehensive process capable of establishing the facts, while investigators are expected to examine the evidence independently.
For now, the central development is that the Aloba family’s petition has been approved and a fresh police investigation is ongoing, separate from the court case dismissed by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Weng Global – Stories beyond borders
Sources
- PUNCH — Report on the IGP’s approval of the Aloba family’s petition and the ongoing police re-investigation.
- The Sun Nigeria — Report on the fresh investigation, the Special Enquiry Bureau assignment and the family’s clarification concerning the Abuja court case.
- TheCable — Report confirming the IGP’s approval of the petition seeking a fresh investigation into Mohbad’s death.
- Nigeria Police Force — Official information on the current Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the Force’s investigative structure and activities.
