In the wake of the uproar, protests, and persistent demands for an investigation into the mysterious death of music star Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, civil society groups have expressed doubts about the Nigerian police’s ability to effectively unravel the circumstances surrounding his demise.

Mohbad’s shocking death and hasty burial last week ignited outrage after disturbing videos and a threat-to-life petition to the Nigeria Police were leaked on social media. These videos pointed to a series of altercations and assaults the late musician allegedly suffered from Azzez Fashola, better known as Naira Marley, his former record label owner and a popular musician.

In response to the public outcry for justice, the police have formed a team of detectives to investigate Mohbad’s death. Additionally, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has invited the Department of State Services (DSS) to join in the investigation into the demise of the 27-year-old singer.

The police have recently announced that an autopsy has been completed on Mohbad’s body. This confirmation was made via a post on the Nigeria Police’s official X account on Thursday night. Earlier in the week, Mohbad’s body was exhumed for the purpose of the autopsy.

However, despite these assurances from the police regarding their commitment to conducting a thorough investigation, civil society organizations (CSOs) have expressed doubts about the functionality, capability, and integrity of the Nigeria Police Force in solving the complexities surrounding Mohbad’s death.

Okechukwu Nwanguma, the Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), stated that Mohbad’s case, along with others, raises critical questions about the Nigeria Police:

“Is the Nigeria Police, as an institution, functional and governed by professionalism and discipline? Does it have a proven track record of being prompt, thorough, impartial, honest, transparent, fair, and diligent in handling crimes and other incidents?”

“Considering the actions, inactions, and body language of the police hierarchy regarding certain past and recent cases, additional questions arise: Does service discipline still exist within the Nigeria Police Force? Are police methods driven by professionalism, forensic capabilities, and the determination to uncover the truth and gather evidence for effective prosecution and conviction?” Nwanguma queried.

In a statement sent to Media Talk Africa, Nwanguma briefly highlighted some cases that exposed the poor judgement and lack of investigative diligence on the part of the Nigerian police.

“Documents have emerged in the Mohbad case, showing that the late singer had reported a case of alleged threats to his life, malicious damage, assault, and oppression against a music promoter, Samson Balogun (aka Sam Larry), and others, in a petition to the FCID Annex, Alagbon, Lagos State,” Nwanguma explained.

“However, the police have faced severe criticism and public censure for their perceived failure or neglect to promptly intervene, investigate, and take necessary action on Mohbad’s complaint until he died under uncertain circumstances, with fingers pointing, among others, to the same people he had petitioned against, alleging threats to his life,” he added.

In response to the police’s explanation that they couldn’t act on the petition due to Mohbad’s refusal to come forward and provide evidence to support his claims, Nwanguma raised the possibility that the police’s inaction may have been due to the complainant’s absence:

“Could it be true that the police did not act on Mohbad’s petition simply because he failed to show up and provide evidence? Would the police have acted differently if he had appeared?” he questioned.

Nwanguma acknowledged that it could present challenges for effective police investigation if a petitioner fails to come forward and provide additional evidence. However, he also highlighted cases where the police demonstrated negligence and failed to act even after the complainant had fulfilled all the requirements and demands made by the police.

He further cited unsolved cases, including allegations of obtaining money by false pretense against Harrison Gwamnishu, a self-proclaimed human rights activist, in Delta State and unresolved allegations of organ harvesting, kidnapping, and killing of suspects after extortion in Anambra State.

Nwanguma also mentioned the case of an Ondo Police Officer who, over the phone, demanded a bribe of N10 million and promised to kill a suspect in custody in order to suppress the case. Despite the media’s publication of this incident and the attention it garnered from the Force Headquarters authorities and the Ondo State Police authorities, no words or known actions have been taken against the police officer implicated in the crime.

William Essien, a Community Protection Group (CPG) rights campaigner, expressed skepticism about the ongoing police investigations into Mohbad’s death:

“I do not expect much from the ongoing police investigations into the death of Mohbad. The assassination of Dele Giwa serves as a reminder that even when the suspects are known, a lack of evidence can hinder legal conviction,” Essien remarked.

Essien emphasized that emotions alone cannot secure convictions in criminal trials. However, the spotlight now shines on the shady dealings within record labels, where drugs, cultism, and violence often lurk.

Similarly, Peter Attah, another rights activist, shared a pessimistic view of the police officers’ capacity to investigate Mohbad’s death:

“Nothing will come out of the investigations. This is without prejudice to the ongoing police investigations in respect to the death of Mohbad. The development is such a tragic story, especially considering Mohbad’s humble background, but I am worried that both the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services won’t do much in unraveling the mysteries surrounding the whole issue,” Attah stated.

However, David Adeneye, a human rights lawyer, believes that the police should not be written off and should instead be encouraged to conduct a thorough investigation into the controversy surrounding Mohbad’s death:

“I don’t belong to the group that has lost hope in the Nigeria police because I’ve seen them resolve many criminal cases,” Adeneye asserted.

“So, if the police are allowed to conduct a thorough investigation, a lot will be revealed about what happened to Mohbad. And I pray that the perpetrators are brought to justice. The police should also look into the possible drug link and thoroughly investigate it,” he added.

In the same vein, Nwanguma urged the police to seize this opportunity presented by Mohbad’s case to restore their image:

“The Nigeria Police Force is established by law to serve and protect Nigerians,” Nwanguma emphasized.

“They owe Nigerians answers to these and many other questions. Urgent and deliberate measures need to be taken to redeem the institution and restore public trust, respect, partnership, and support,” he concluded.