The police in Lagos have said that the body of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba aka Mohbad, will be released today if the family ask for it.
The police insisted that only the family of the deceased could ask for the body, and not his fans or friends.
The clarification became necessary following agitation for the release of the body of the late musician for burial by some of his fans, including celebrities.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, told the Punch, “On the issue of the corpse, fans cannot request the corpse, well-wishers cannot request the corpse, only the family can request the corpse and the family has not done that. They (the family) will request it when they’re ready. If they request it today, they will get it today.”
It would be recalled that Mohbad’s body was exhumed about two months ago to enable the police to conduct an autopsy to unravel the cause of his death.
The result of the autopsy is yet to be revealed.
Hundeyin said, “The autopsy report has not been given to us. Some people have been carrying rumours that it’s ready. It’s one thing for it to be ready, it’s another thing for it to be given to us officially – that we would receive and sign a copy that we have received it. So, we don’t work with rumours, we work with facts.”
Meanwhile, Mohbad’s mother, Olumiyi, also disclosed on Tuesday that she was at the state command last week and she was told his late son’s remains had since been ready for release.
She alleged that the father of the deceased was responsible for the delay in burying her late son, as the police had released the body but was waiting for the family to come and take it for burial.
In a viral video released on Tuesday, Mohbad’s mother called for public support to pressure the father to collect the remains of the late singer from the Lagos State Police Command.
She said, “Nigerians, I cry to you to help demand the release of my son’s corpse. I pray that you will not witness your children’s death too.
“Mohbad’s corpse has been released since the completion of the autopsy but his father has refused to let his corpse be released for burial despite me begging him repeatedly.
“I went to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police last week, and he told me that Mohbad’s remains had been released before now, questioning why we are letting his body waste away and if we are happy that he’s dead,” she added.
“All of you that have gone to exhume Mohbad’s body should wake up now and insist that he (should) be buried. It is not like I have not been willing to voice out since but I leave everything to God. All the things the father has been saying are also left to God.”
But Joseph Aloba, the father of the late singer, had stated that nobody should collect his son’s body for burial without his authorisation.
He made this known in a video shared on TikTok on Sunday.
“When this boy was alive, he was alive. When he (left), he still retained my name. Nobody should go there and take his body, please,” he warned.
The singer’s father added, “If they want to do anything there, I’ll be the one to authorise them. Nobody should go and carry MohBad’s body from there.”
When quizzed further on Monday for a reaction to the delay of the autopsy result, Mohbad’s father went mum on the case.
“For now, I can’t say anything until we have another meeting in court. So, I don’t want to say anything concerning that now,” Aloba said.
Reacting during an exclusive interview on Monday evening with one of our correspondents, the police PRO said only Mohbad’s family could take his corpse.
