FOLLOWING the controversy surrounding the sudden death of 27 year-old music star, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as MohBad, protests erupted in Abeokuta, Akure, Ikorodu, Warri, withbstudents bearing placards demanding for justice for the late singer.
Hundreds of youths trooped out in their numbers, on Tuesday, in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, seeking justice for the late singer.
The protesting youths gathered at the skating ground in Panseke area of the town, marched from there through Ibara to Oke-Ilewo and back to Panseke.
Security agents were equally on ground to ensure that the peaceful protest was not hijacked by hoodlums.
In the same vein, youths in Akure, Ondo state capital, also protested on Tuesday, as they marched through the capital city of Akure, in black wears and displayed placards, chanting Justice for Mohbad, and expressed their dissatisfaction with the singer’s death.
Also, youths in their hundreds, gathered at the Okeletu bus-stop, Ikorodu, Lagos State, to demand justice on the death of the singer.
Youths, carrying placards with photos of MohBad, chanting, ‘We need justice for MohBad’, marched on streets and sought investigation to unravel any foul play.
A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who visited the residence of the popular musician in Ikorodu at Okeletu reports the youths marched from the area toward Ijede Road.
Kazeem Ayinde, one of the youths, said that the rally was organised to show their last respect to the late musician.
Ayinde said there would be a candlelight event for the deceased later in the day because he died a week ago.
During the visit, Mrs Felicia Adedara, the grandmother of the deceased, said that they would not discuss any matter relating to the death with anybody until investigation was completed.
Adedara said Mobhad’s father had gone to the police to help them in their investigation.
“I am the only woman left as mother to the dad, I came in from Ekiti immediately I heard about the incident.
“Right now, we have been instructed by the police not to talk to anybody until they complete their investigation,” she said.
NAN reports that sympathisers at the residence commended the Nigeria Police for their timely intervention and urged them to unravel the mystery behind the death without delay.
“We will all miss MohBad in this community, just of recent he distributed palliatives to residents of this community.
“Some of us who were not around during the period went to the dad and he gave us our packages.
“We are calling on the police to unravel those behind his death, because everybody in this community will miss him because he is so generous,” one of the sympathisers who declined to give his name said
Meanwhile, the Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has invited the Department of State Services (DSS) to join the investigation and widen the dragnet with inter-agency collaboration and use of best in class technology to unearth the truth behind the death of Mohbad.
Besides, Governor Sanwo-Olu directed that all those who may have played any role whatsoever in any event leading to the death of singer be made to face the law after a thorough investigation.
It will be recalled that following Governor Sanwo-Olu’s directive, the Lagos State police command had launched a major investigation, setting up a 19-man panel to unravel the mystery behind the musician’s death.
This was just as the state government commiserated with the family and fans of the late music star, saying that it felt the pains of losing such a talented and promising young man, who made a name for himself in a highly competitive industry, while it prayed God to grant his soul rest and comfort his bereaved family and fans.
Governor Sanwo-Olu’s directive was contained in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, urging “all those who may have vital information that may assist the investigation process to avail the investigating team with such.”
The governor also appealed to the investigating team to guarantee the confidentiality and protection of all witnesses who may come forward with vital information or indicative evidence that may assist the process, even as he admonished the police and DSS “to brief the public on their efforts periodically.”
The government pleaded with all friends and fans of the deceased to stay calm and refrain from making inflammatory utterances and reaching prejudicial conclusions on the matter, saying that staying calm and following the process keenly would “be our most solemn tribute to the memory of the departed talent.”
Delta State was not left out as youth activists also gathered at Effurun Roundabout, Warri, Delta State, to demand justice for Mohbad’s death. They also marched with placards chanting, ‘We need justice.’
In similar news, the Ekiti State governor, Biodun Oyebanji has urged police authorities to unravel the mysteries surrounding the death of music star, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba popularly known as Mohbad.
The governor, in a statement by his special adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, said, “the minimum the country owes the deceased and his family is justice, which he said could only come through a thorough investigation of the circumstances leading to his death as well as various revelations that came out thereafter.”
“Our condolences to the family and fans of the late singer, Mohbad. We feel their pains at this crucial moment and join other well- meaning Nigerians to demand a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to his death,” he said.
While extending condolences to members of the late singer’s immediate and extended families as well as his fans worldwide, the governor urged the Nigeria Police to investigate the death and ensure that justice is done.
Meanwhile, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Femi Falana, has demanded a Coroner’s Inquest into the death of Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad.
Falana made the demand following the controversial circumstances in which Mohbad died on September 12.
The demand was contained in a letter to the Chief Coroner, High Court of Lagos State, in Ikeja.
In the demand, Falana said his law firm was aware of the “very tragic death” of Mohbad and wanted an inquest to “be conducted into the cause of death of this young promising musician and make appropriate recommendations pursuant to Section 15 of the Lagos State Coroner’s Law 2007 which provides that an inquest shall hold whenever a coroner is informed that the death of a deceased person within his Coroner District is as a result of a death in a violent, unnatural or suspicious situation”.
The request, signed by Folakemi Falana and dated September 18, 2023, added: “We hereby request Your Lordship to conduct an inquest into the circumstances surrounding the tragic death in Lagos State and we are confident that Your Lordship will accede to our request with utmost urgency.”
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