Abuja court dismisses suit to reopen Mohbad death investigation

The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to compel the Nigeria Police Force to reopen the investigation into the death of musician Ilerioluwa Aloba, known as Mohbad.

Justice James Omotosho ruled that the Registered Trustees of Break the Silence Foundation, which filed the suit, lacked the legal standing to initiate the action. The judge noted that the application was devoid of merit and relied on speculation rather than concrete proof. Specifically, the court found that the NGO failed to provide the original police investigation report to substantiate its claims that the initial probe was insufficient or that certain relatives of the deceased had been excluded from questioning.

Mohbad died in Lagos on September 12, 2023. The respondents in the case, including the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police for Lagos State, did not appear in court. Justice Omotosho criticized the filing of baseless cases, stating that lawyers should not flood the courts with frivolous matters that consume time reserved for serious legal issues.