A Federal High Court in Lagos has issued an order to probe the circumstances surrounding the death of Pelumi Onifade, a 20-year-old journalist. Onifade was reportedly killed while covering the #EndSARS protests in 2020 by security operatives.
He was allegedly apprehended by officers of the Lagos State task force and subsequently found deceased in a mortuary in Ikorodu, Lagos.
The court has mandated the commencement of a coroner’s inquest to ascertain the cause of Onifade's death and to identify and prosecute those responsible. This ruling follows a lawsuit filed by the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) against the Police and Lagos State Government.
Justice Ayokunle Olayinka Faji emphasized that, while the Attorney-General cannot initiate an inquest without a duplicate case file, the state’s Administration of Criminal Justice Law permits the Attorney-General to request such a file from the Police Commissioner.
Despite the dismissal of five claims against the Police due to lack of evidence, Justice Faji noted that the Attorney-General did not contest the facts presented in MRA’s affidavit, but rather raised a legal issue. The Attorney-General’s counsel committed to conducting an inquest during oral proceedings.
Charles Musa, a Lagos lawyer nominated for Senior Advocate of Nigeria, filed the originating summons on behalf of MRA, citing constitutional and international human rights violations. The suit sought declarations that the shooting, arrest, and detention of Onifade were unconstitutional and requested a transparent investigation, a coroner’s inquest, and the prosecution of those responsible.
Justice Faji criticized the lack of response from the Police to the summons and highlighted the insufficiency of evidence provided by MRA, including the absence of eyewitness accounts and mortuary documentation. Consequently, the court dismissed the claims against the police but directed the Attorney-General to ensure a comprehensive investigation into Onifade’s death, conduct a coroner’s inquest, and prosecute those responsible.