No reopening: Court shuts door on fresh Mohbad probe, for now

ABUJA — Three years after singer Ilerioluwa “Mohbad” Aloba’s death sparked national outrage, a Federal High Court has ruled against a suit seeking to compel the Nigeria Police Force to reopen investigations into the circumstances surrounding his passing.

This is a setback for campaigners who have pursued the case through multiple court sittings since early 2026.

ValidViewNetwork can confirm that the suit, filed by the non-governmental Break the Silence Foundation against the Inspector-General of Police and other respondents, had sought an order of mandamus compelling a fresh, independent investigation into Mohbad’s September 2023 death.

Findings by ValidViewNetwork show the foundation’s legal effort stretched back to February 2026, when it first obtained leave from Justice James Omotosho to pursue the mandamus application.

It alleges that critical leads had gone unexplored and that individuals last seen with the singer, including his wife, Omowunmi Cynthia Aloba, and his father, Joseph Aloba, had not been adequately scrutinised by the original investigation.

A father’s parallel push

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According to reports gotten by ValidViewNetwork, Mohbad’s own father had separately petitioned the Inspector-General directly, urging a centralised probe taken over from the Lagos State Police Command.

He also rejected earlier legal advice that had cleared some suspects, underscoring how divided even the singer’s own family has remained over how his death was handled.

ValidViewNetwork gathered that the ruling does not close every avenue for those still seeking accountability, though it does represent the clearest judicial rebuff yet to campaigners’ demand for a court-ordered reinvestigation.

And for what it’s worth, the street has its own way of processing a story that’s dragged on this long.

As the joke going around puts it, in every scenario, “no let them kpai you for naija”, don’t let this country be the one that gets you, whatever it takes to stay alert.

Mohbad’s fans, still demanding justice more than three years on, might say the joke lands closer to the bone than it should. ValidViewNetwork reports.