Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Lagos state government to investigate the death of 20-year-old journalist Pelumi Onifade, who was found in a mortuary after being arrested by police during the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
In August 2021, Lagos-based lawyer Charles Musa, on behalf of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), filed an originating motion against the Lagos State Commissioner of Police (COP), the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the Attorney General of Lagos State over the death of Mr Onifade.
MRA’s media officer, Idowu Adewale, stated that the court has now ordered the state government to conduct a coroner’s inquest to determine the cause of Mr Onifade’s death, identify those responsible, and prosecute them.
Mr Faji also directed the state’s Attorney General to carry out the necessary investigations to uncover the circumstances surrounding the journalist’s death. According to MRA, Mr Onifade was shot in Oko Oba, Agege Local Government Area of Lagos, in October 2020 by officers under the command of the COP and IGP while covering the #EndSARS protests.
MRA had approached the court to declare that Mr Onifade’s fundamental rights, as guaranteed by Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (Cap A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, were unconstitutionally and grossly violated.
However, the court dismissed some of the claims made against the police due to a lack of evidence.
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