DNA Confirms Unidentified Body Is Journalist Pelumi Onifade

Esther Oluku

The Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre presented a DNA result to the Coroner Court, confirming that the previously unidentified body belongs to Pelumi Onifade, a journalist who disappeared during the #EndSars protest in October 2020.

Mrs. Adebose Onifade, the journalist’s mother, wept when Magistrate Mrs. Temitope Oladele informed her that a sealed DNA report had confirmed a match between the body and a sample supplied by Mrs. Onifade.

The inquest follows a wrongful‑death suit filed by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) and the Onifade family against the police and Lagos State Government. The suit was ordered by the Federal High Court after Justice Ayokunle Olayinka Faji’s judgment on July 19, 2024, directing the Attorney‑General to investigate Pelumi’s death and conduct a coroner’s inquest to determine cause and responsibility.

On May 22, 2026, at the request of MRA lawyer Alimi Adamu, the coroner ordered the Chief Medical Examiner at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to submit the autopsy report for body No. 1385 within 21 days.

LASUTH’s report dated March 24, 2026 stated that autopsies were performed on six bodies brought to the hospital on November 3, 2020, and that DNA samples from those bodies and reference samples from grieving families were forwarded to the DNA centre for identification.

When proceedings resumed on June 23, 2026, both parents of the late journalist were present. Counsel for MRA and the family informed the court that the orders had been served and requested guidance on compliance.

The coroner said she had received no response from LASUTH but possessed a sealed document from the DNA and Forensic Centre confirming the match to the journalist’s mother.

Oladele acknowledged LASUTH’s strain, stating, “In all honesty, LASUTH is overwhelmed,” and added that she believed the autopsy had been or should have been completed.

Adamu argued that the family had endured a prolonged wait for answers and that the need for follow‑up orders indicated non‑compliance with earlier directives. He noted ongoing police denials of custody and a growing public and media concern over the journalist’s disappearance and death while covering #EndSARS protests on October 24, 2020.

The coroner warned she might order coercive action if necessary but urged administrative steps first, promising another reminder and court follow‑up.

She directed a final administrative reminder to LASUTH and advised MRA’s lawyers to visit the hospital in person to expedite compliance. Failure to comply would compel the court to use its full powers to obtain the autopsy report. The matter was adjourned to July 7, 2026.