Nearly three years after the controversial death of Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, the battle over his final burial has become entangled in a complex legal, forensic and family dispute that continues to delay closure.
Key Highlights:
- Nearly three years after Mohbad’s death, his final burial remains delayed due to ongoing legal and forensic disputes.
- Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, insists his son’s remains will not be reburied until a court-supervised DNA test confirms the paternity of Liam Aloba.
- Mohbad died on September 12, 2023, under circumstances that triggered nationwide calls for justice.
- His body was exhumed for an autopsy, but forensic experts could not determine the exact cause of death due to advanced decomposition.
- The Aloba family insists the DNA test be conducted by a court-approved, internationally credible laboratory.
The latest development came after Mohbad’s father, Joseph Aloba, declared that his son’s remains would not be reburiedz until a court-supervised DNA test establishes the paternity of his grandson, Liam Aloba.
However, the controversy stretches far beyond the issue of paternity.
Mohbad died on September 12, 2023, at the age of 27 under circumstances that sparked nationwide outrage.
Videos of the singer before his death, allegations of harassment and conflicting accounts surrounding his final hours fueled public demand for justice.
Following intense pressure, the Lagos State Government ordered investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death.
His body was subsequently exhumed for an autopsy in September 2023, leaving his remains in government custody pending the outcome of forensic examinations and legal proceedings.
Months after the autopsy, pathologists disclosed that the advanced stage of decomposition made it impossible to determine the exact cause of Mohbad’s death.
While traces of medications were reportedly found during toxicology examinations, experts said there was insufficient evidence to conclusively state what killed the singer.
The inconclusive findings only intensified public speculation and prolonged investigations.
What initially began as a death investigation later shifted to a separate legal dispute over the paternity of Mohbad’s only son, Liam.
Joseph Aloba has consistently insisted that a DNA test is necessary before his son’s remains can be buried.
According to him, establishing Liam’s paternity is critical not only for inheritance matters but also because he believes it could assist investigators in uncovering the truth surrounding Mohbad’s death.
During proceedings at the Ikorodu Magistrate Court, counsel to the Aloba family argued that the family wants the DNA examination conducted only in a court-approved and internationally credible laboratory.
The legal team alleged that two laboratories reportedly nominated by Mohbad’s widow, Omowunmi Aloba, and another identified by the Lagos State Government’s welfare office had not conducted the test.
The lawyers also informed the court that the Aloba family objected after discovering that Mohbad’s widow had separately initiated another legal action seeking a DNA test, arguing that parallel suits could complicate the judicial process.
Read also:
- Mohbad’s father rejects laboratory chosen for DNA test in paternity row
- Fresh twist in Mohbad’s family as Wunmi addresses DNA controversy
According to the family, an earlier proposed laboratory was rejected because it allegedly specialised in cancer research rather than tissue-based DNA analysis.
Joseph Aloba maintains that Mohbad’s remains constitute vital evidence and should not be reburied until every forensic and legal issue has been resolved.
He insists that rushing the burial could jeopardise any future investigation if fresh evidence emerges.
“This DNA test is a must. We must conclude it before burying him again because his body remains vital evidence,” he told journalists after the latest court sitting.
The Magistrate Court has adjourned the matter until August 11, 2026, when hearing is expected to continue on the application filed by the Aloba family’s legal team.
Until the DNA dispute is resolved and the court determines the next course of action, Mohbad’s final burial is expected to remain on hold, extending one of Nigeria’s most closely followed celebrity legal cases and leaving the singer’s family, supporters and the public still waiting for definitive answers about both his death and his final resting place.
