Mohbad: Police reopen probe after family’s petition

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has approved a petition by the family of late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, seeking a fresh investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

The family, through its lawyer, Oladayo Ogungbe, disclosed this in a statement dated September 29, 2026, saying the police re-investigation remained ongoing despite the recent dismissal of a separate suit by the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Ogungbe said the Aloba family submitted the petition to the IGP on April 14, 2026, and it was received at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on May 7.

According to the lawyer, the petition raised concerns over alleged inconsistencies in the previous investigation and requested a comprehensive forensic reconstruction of the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death.

He said the IGP subsequently approved the petition and directed the Lagos State Police Command to take immediate action.

The family was later informed that the matter had been assigned to officers of the Special Enquiry Bureau for further investigation.

“The family’s representative has since been invited and has engaged with the new team of investigators assigned to the matter,” Ogungbe said.

He added that the family had continued to follow up with the investigators and remained involved in the new investigative process.

The clarification followed the September 25 dismissal of Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/363/2026 by the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Ogungbe stressed that the suit was separate from the family’s petition to the police and was neither filed by the Aloba family nor authorised by it.

He urged the public not to confuse the court’s decision with the separate investigation initiated following the family’s petition to the IGP.

“The Aloba Family therefore does not wish the public to conflate the dismissal of that suit with the separate investigative process already commenced pursuant to the Family’s petition to the Inspector-General of Police,” the statement said.

The family said the dismissal of the suit did not bring the police investigation to an end.

It also pledged to cooperate with investigators by providing relevant documents, information, witnesses and other materials that could assist the probe.

The family called on the police to conduct the investigation independently and professionally, with all relevant persons and circumstances examined.

The lawyers said the family was not seeking to prejudge the outcome of the investigation or engage in “trial by media”, but wanted a credible and transparent process capable of establishing the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death.

“The re-investigation is ongoing. The Aloba Family remains fully engaged. The pursuit of justice for Mohbad continues,” the statement concluded.