Judge Orders The Lagos State Government To Investigate Journalist’S Death During The #Endsars Protests And Bring The Perpetrators To Justice.

The Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has issued a directive to the Lagos State Government to launch an investigation into the untimely death of 20-year-old journalist Pelumi Onifade. Onifade, who worked as a reporter for online television medium Gboah TV, was allegedly arrested by armed men from the Lagos State Task Force while covering the #EndSARS protest in 2020. His body was later discovered at a mortuary in Ikorodu, Lagos.

In response to the court’s order, the Lagos State Government has been instructed to carry out a coroners inquest to determine the cause of Onifade’s death. Furthermore, the government is expected to identify and prosecute those responsible for his demise.

This ruling came as a result of a legal action filed by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) against the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of Lagos State. Justice Ayokunle Faji, who presided over the case, emphasized that the Attorney-General cannot conduct an inquest without access to the case file. He pointed out that Section 74 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State empowers the Attorney-General to request the case file from the Commissioner of Police.

While Justice Faji dismissed five of MRA’s claims against the defendants due to lack of evidence, he noted that the Attorney-General did not deny any of the facts in MRA’s affidavit. The Attorney-General, in fact, acknowledged the need for an inquest during oral arguments.

MRA’s legal action, represented by lawyer Charles Oyaole Musa (SAN), is based on various constitutional provisions and international treaties, including the Nigerian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, and the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules.

The directive from the Federal High Court signifies a significant step towards obtaining justice for Pelumi Onifade and shedding light on the circumstances surrounding his tragic death.