A Lagos coroner has ordered the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) and the state DNA centre to forward autopsy and the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) results for body 1385 within 21 days.
The body is believed to be that of journalist Pelumi Onifade, shot while covering #EndSARS in 2020.
The investigating magistrate, Mrs Temitope Oladele, issued the orders at the resumed hearing in the inquest into the death of Mr. Onifade, who was reportedly arrested by policemen attached to a Lagos State task force while he was covering the #EndSARS protests in 2020, and later found dead at the Ikorodu General Hospital mortuary, where his body was deposited.
The inquest was convened on the orders of a Federal High Court in Lagos following a wrongful death suit brought against the Police and the Lagos State Government by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) demanding, among other things, an investigation into the late journalist’s death and the prosecution of those responsible for his death.
In his verdict in the suit delivered on July 19, 2024, Justice Ayokunle Olayinka Faji directed the Attorney-General to ensure an investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Onifade’s death and to conduct a coroner’s inquest to ascertain the cause of death as well as identify and prosecute those responsible for his death.
At the resumed hearing in the inquest, Mr. Alimi Adamu, leading Mr. Monday Arunsi and Mr. Somto Afulukwe, on behalf of the family of the deceased journalist and Media Rights Agenda, urged the Coroner to direct LASUTH to produce the report of the autopsy, which the hospital said it conducted on the body.
The lawyer also asked the Coroner to order the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre to produce the DNA test result on the samples collected in 2020 from the body and sample reference collected from family members who lost their loved ones during the ENDSARS protests.
He recalled that during the previous sitting of the Court, it had ordered the Chief Medical Director of “Yaba General Hospital, Yaba, Lagos” to produce a detailed report on the whereabouts and status of the body within 14 days of service of the order.
He said after reviewing the court’s order and comparing it with the contents of the report which LASUTH submitted to the Court, it became evident that the report did not reference Yaba General Hospital.
He also said the report stated that the body bearing Tag No. 1385 had been transferred to the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Yaba Mortuary for storage purposes.
He pointed out that from the LASUTH’s report, it is clear that it is the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Yaba, and not Yaba General Hospital, that is identified in the official records as currently having custody of the body in question.
He argued that the LASUTH report confirmed that an autopsy had already been conducted on the body and that DNA samples collected during the process had been forwarded to the DNA and Forensic Centre for DNA identification and analysis.
He added that the report further indicated that the authorities at LASUTH were awaiting the outcome of the DNA analysis.
Mr. Adamu urged the court to order the Director of the DNA and Forensic Centre to produce the DNA analysis and report relating to the body; and also order the Chief Medical Director of LASUTH to produce the report of the autopsy conducted on the body.
The Coroner initially expressed concerns regarding the operational status of the DNA and Forensic Centre, given earlier reports that it was burnt down during the #EndSARS protests.
On Mr. Adamu’s application, Magistrate Oladele ordered LASUTH to submit the autopsy for body 1385 within 21 days.
She noted LASUTH’s March 24, 2026 report showed autopsies were done on six bodies received Nov 3, 2020, including that body.
Magistrate Oladele also ordered the DNA Centre Director to submit results for body 1385 within 21 days.
She cited a March 24, 2026 LASUTH report confirming DNA samples were collected from the body and from families of #EndSARS victims and sent to the centre for identification.
