Joseph Aloba, father of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, also known as Mohbad, says he was deeply saddened to learn that the management of the National Medical Services Laboratories in Pennsylvania, United States of America, denied conducting a toxicology test on his son’s body.
PUNCH Metro exclusively reported that the US-based lab refuted the claim by the Lagos State Government that the toxicology test was conducted at its facility.
The revelation was in response to inquiries made by our correspondent, who embarked on a fact-finding mission to ascertain the musician’s cause of death.
The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, while responding to inquiries via a live telephone call with Ahmad Isah, the anchor of an Abuja-based online programme, Brekete Family, sometime in February 2024, had said the toxicology test was being conducted at the NMS Labs in Pennsylvania, USA.
However, a pathologist, while testifying before the Coroner’s Court on May 15, revealed that an autopsy couldn’t determine Mohbad’s cause of death due to the decomposition of his body
Responding to PUNCH Metro’s inquiry on May 17, the Client Services Associate, Forensics Division, NMS Labs, Esther Dede, stated, “Unfortunately, we do not have a case for that patient.”
Speaking with our correspondent on Sunday, Aloba alleged that the revelation showed an attempt to cover up the case.
He said, “I was brought to tears when I learnt of the denial. I never expected such a fabrication. It now appears that the claim of it being taken to the US was concocted from the beginning, indicating an attempt to conceal the truth.
“Hearing the news made me more sorrowful about the death of my son. I don’t believe the state government could deceive everyone, saying they went to conduct the test and they did not. I felt so pained. It also assures me that we will get justice in the end.
“Before Mohbad died, he said if they killed him, they could not kill all his family who would get justice for him. And that is what we are doing now.”
The bereaved father also called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to investigate the officials of the Lagos State Forensic and DNA Centre involved in the process of the autopsy.
“I want the governor to investigate the officials involved in the autopsy process. They were assigned to carry out the assignment and need to explain why this is happening.”
Mohbad died at the age of 27, on September 12, 2023, with circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversies on social media.
Being a former record label signee of Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad left the label in February 2022. The Lagos State Police Command had on September 18, 2023, inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to probe the singer’s death.
His death also led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, amongst others.
The singer’s body was on September 21, 2023, exhumed for autopsy to unravel the cause of his death.
