The Lagos State Coroner’s Court in Ikorodu, has ordered the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to prosecute Feyisayo Ogedengbe, the auxiliary nurse who administered the injection that allegedly led to the death of Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
Delivering her ruling on Friday, Magistrate C.A. Shotobi held that Ms Ogedengbe was neither a registered nurse nor a licensed medical practitioner and, therefore, acted unlawfully by administering the tetanus injection that reportedly triggered the complications resulting in the singer’s death.
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“This is not a case of foul play but one of medical negligence,” Magistrate Shotobi ruled. “While I cannot certify a definitive cause of death, I draw a link from the sudden reaction after the deceased was injected by the nurse.”
The coroner also expressed concern over regulatory lapses in the health sector, which she said have allowed unqualified individuals to operate as healthcare providers.
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In a related directive, the court ordered an investigation into the Nigeria Police Force’s failure to act on a petition filed by the late singer before his death, calling on relevant authorities to determine whether official negligence occurred.
Family members and their legal representatives—Wahab Shittu who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Kabir Akingbola, and Abiola Kolawole of the African Women Lawyers Association—were present in court for the verdict.
Testimonies and autopsy findings
The Coroner said 19 witnesses, including family members, medical experts, and police officers, testified during the proceedings.
Relying on the testimony of two independent pathologists who conducted separate autopsies, the court noted that the decomposed state of Mohbad’s body made it impossible to determine a definitive cause of death.
However, both pathologists agreed that a severe anaphylactic reaction to the tetanus injection was the most likely cause.
“The death is not linked to any evidence of foul play, but to medical negligence,” Magistrate Shotobi reiterated.
Criticism of family and police
The court found no direct link between Mohbad’s death and the alleged bullying by his former record label boss, Azeez Fashola (aka Naira Marley), and associate Samson Eletu (aka Sam Larry), despite testimonies pointing to sustained harassment and threats.
However, the coroner criticised the circumstances of the artiste’s burial, describing it as “undignified.”
She faulted Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, for failing to obtain a death certificate or demand an autopsy before burying his son—even after receiving N2 million from fellow artiste David Adeleke (Davido) to facilitate a proper funeral.
The court also criticised Mohbad’s wife, Omowunmi, for not seeking adequate professional medical care for Mohbad for over 15 hours or ensuring proper documentation of events surrounding her husband’s death.
“She had a duty of care to her husband which was not sufficiently discharged,” the court noted.
The Nigerian police were also condemned for failing to act on Mohbad’s petition prior to his death, which contained allegations of assault and threats to life.
The coroner described this as a “dereliction of duty” and ordered an immediate reopening of the case.
She directed the police to invite all individuals named in the petition—including Naira Marley and Sam Larry—for questioning.
Systemic failures and recommendations
Ms Shotobi said the singer’s death revealed a “systemic collapse” across several sectors—including the family, the healthcare system, law enforcement, and the entertainment industry.
The court’s recommended the prosecution of Ms Ogedengbe for gross medical negligence and called for urgent reburial of Mohbad in line with public health and legal protocols.
Ms Shotobi demanded immediate investigation into police inaction on the late singer’s petition and called for legal reforms to address bullying and exploitation in the entertainment industry.
She asked for a ban on the administration of intravenous medication by unlicensed persons and mandatory investigation of sudden deaths involving young, apparently healthy individuals before burial.
The court also warned that traditional burial customs must not override legal procedures, particularly in cases of suspicious or sudden deaths.
She issued a caution to content creators and online influencers, noting that spreading misinformation about court proceedings may amount to obstruction of justice under Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act.
Reactions
Lawyers representing Mohbad’s family praised the verdict as a landmark ruling.
Speaking with journalists on the sidelines, Mr Shittu, lawyer to the late singer’s father, hailed the Coroner’s findings as “unprecedented jurisprudence” and “a PhD thesis in justice.”
“The ruling analysed the testimony of 19 witnesses. It revealed patterns: Mohbad felt unsafe, was harassed, and lacked institutional protection,” Mr Shittu said.
He added that the hasty burial undermined a proper forensic investigation. “While Islamic law encourages swift burial, public interest in this case should have prevailed.”
Mr Shittu also echoed the coroner’s recommendation that the police take immediate action on Mohbad’s petition, stating: “This is not a flawed investigation—it was never properly conducted in the first place.”
However, Kabir Akingbola, lawyer to Mohbad’s wife, cited cultural and emotional constraints. “Yoruba customs limit a wife’s power to challenge a father-in-law. Even if she wanted to intervene, grief and tradition may have silenced her,” he said.
Background
Mohbad died on 12 September 2023 at the age of 26. He was buried the following day, prompting public outrage over the hasty funeral and sparking nationwide protests.
The Lagos State Police Command inaugurated a 13-member investigative panel on 18 September. Mohbad’s body was exhumed on 21 September for autopsy after widespread calls for justice.
In April 2024, the coroner’s court ordered a second autopsy after toxicology reports were deemed inconclusive. US-based NMS Labs—allegedly contracted to perform toxicology testing—later denied receiving any sample related to the case.
Summons were issued to key figures including Naira Marley, Sam Larry, the nurse, and Mohbad’s wife. In March 2025, Magistrate Shotobi faced calls to recuse herself from the case over alleged comments, but she continued presiding until the verdict.
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