Coroner Orders Reports on Body Linked to Pelumi Onifade

The coroner, Mr. Temitop Oladel, has mandated the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and the Lagos State DNA Forensic Centre to submit critical reports within 21 days concerning a body tagged as No. 1385, believed to belong to journalist Pelumi Onifade, who went missing during the EndSARS protests in October 2020.

The inquest into Onifade's death resumed, with the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) filing a wrongful death suit against the Nigeria Police Force and the Lagos State Government. The court is set to deliver a judgment on July 19, 2024.

Mr. Alimi Adamu, representing Onifade's family, urged the coroner to compel LASUTH to produce the autopsy report and the DNA analysis results from samples collected from the body.

The court noted that the DNA Forensic Centre remains operational despite previous reports of damage during the protests. The matter has been adjourned to June 23, 2026, with the outcome of the autopsy and DNA report expected to play a significant role in determining the identity and cause of death.