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A Coroner’s Court sitting in Ikorodu, Lagos, has called for criminal proceedings against auxiliary nurse Feyisayo Ogedengbe for her involvement in the untimely death of singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, widely known as Mohbad.
Magistrate Adedayo Shotobi, who presided over the inquest, ruled on Friday that Ogedengbe acted recklessly by giving Mohbad injections without medical authorization. The inquest, launched by Lagos authorities, began on September 29, 2023, and featured testimonies from 19 witnesses.
Shotobi clarified that although no foul play or homicide was established, the nurse’s conduct was both unethical and illegal.
“Based on the totality of the evidence, I am able to certify the cause of death. However, the preponderance of evidence supports that the death was sudden, occurring within minutes or hours after the administration of injection drugs by an unlicensed authority or auxiliary means,” she stated.
She added, “There was no natural death in the fight to explain the death. There was no evidence of homicide or deliberate foul play, but medical evidence. Irregular burial without a proper investigation, medical certificate, or police report is significant to the court of justice.”
In light of these findings, the magistrate invoked Section 29 of the Lagos State Coroner Law and urged the Director of Public Prosecutions to initiate legal action against Ogedengbe for unauthorized medical activity and gross neglect.
The court further examined the atmosphere surrounding Mohbad’s final days, noting the young artist endured mental and emotional strain. Shotobi held that his immediate environment — including his family and colleagues — fell short in their responsibilities to him.
She also criticized structural lapses within the healthcare sector that allow unqualified individuals like Ogedengbe to offer medical services unchecked.
Concerning law enforcement, the court directed that an official probe be launched into why the Nigerian Police failed to respond to a petition the late singer submitted before his death. It questioned whether this failure amounted to negligence on the part of public officers.
Shotobi remarked, “Given the overwhelming testimony of persistent harassment, not only from security and the Nigerian Police Force, the Human Rights Commission should investigate all viral reports of intimidation or assault.”
Attention was also drawn to the burial, which Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, conducted within a day of the singer’s death. While the court acknowledged cultural influences, it criticized the swift burial as improper.
“The father’s action, while perhaps guided by cultural beliefs, in every burial, reflected an absence of procedural responsibility, especially given the suspicion and natural circumstances,” Shotobi noted.
She faulted Mr. Aloba for failing to request an autopsy or obtain a death certificate before burial, actions she said hindered early investigative efforts.
“The subsequent public allegation and accusation made without sustaining evidence has further tarnished his credibility and motive,” she added.
Mohbad’s partner, Omowunmi, also came under scrutiny. The court found that although she was present during the health emergency, she did not call for professional help or insist on proper emergency response as Mohbad began convulsing and vomiting.
Instead, members of the household attempted to handle the situation themselves. Shotobi criticized Omowunmi’s silence during this period and her failure to challenge the unusual circumstances surrounding the burial.
“While she may have been overwhelmed, emotionally distressed, or pushed aside by the father, it was incumbent upon her as a wife and the last person to the deceased, to speak, object or at the very least document the procedural irregularities at the point of death and burial,” the coroner said.
“The wife, though regularly and emotionally invested, bears a measure of moral and consequential responsibility for the silence surrounding the death and hasty burial. A more assertive and protective response was expected given her position,” she continued.
Reacting to the ruling, the family’s lead counsel, Wahab Shittu, SAN, commended the coroner’s balanced judgment.
“This is one coroner who has shown that she has got the brain and has the sense of balance and conscience,” he stated.
He noted that the next step would be to ensure the relevant authorities act on the recommendations and continue investigations into all parties involved.
Similarly, Kabir Akingbolu, representing Mohbad’s widow, said the court’s findings were fair but emphasized that his client could not be blamed for not preventing the burial.
Mohbad died on September 12, 2023, after sustaining an injury on his right arm. A nurse treated him at home in Lekki and gave him an injection. He died shortly after and was buried the next day.
Following public outrage, Lagos State exhumed his remains on September 21, 2023, and ordered an autopsy. The result, concluded on April 29, 2024, was inconclusive due to the advanced state of decomposition. A second autopsy was later ordered in June 2024 at the request of the family.
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#CoronerInquest
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