Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, has approved a fresh investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of singer Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
The approval followed a petition submitted by the late singer’s family, seeking a comprehensive review of the circumstances surrounding his death and the investigative process that followed it.
The family made this known through its lawyer, Oladayo Ogungbe, in a statement dated September 29, 2026.
The development comes despite a recent decision by the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a separate suit seeking to compel the police to reopen investigations into Mohbad’s death.
According to the family’s lawyer, the fresh police investigation is already underway and should not be confused with the court case dismissed by the Federal High Court.
Ogungbe disclosed that the Aloba family submitted its petition directly to the Inspector-General of Police on April 14, 2026.
The petition was subsequently received at the Force Headquarters in Abuja on May 7.
The family, according to the statement, raised concerns about aspects of the earlier investigation and requested what it described as a comprehensive forensic reconstruction of the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death.
The petition was later approved by the IGP and forwarded to the Lagos State Police Command for further action.
The matter was subsequently assigned to officers of the Special Enquiry Bureau, who are now handling the new investigation.
The family has also confirmed that its representative has met with the new team investigating the matter.
“The family’s representative has since been invited and has engaged with the new team of investigators assigned to the matter.
“The family has continued to follow up with the investigators and remained engaged with the new investigative process,” the lawyer disclosed.
The fresh development is coming more than three years after Mohbad died in Lagos on September 12, 2023, at the age of 27.
His death generated widespread public attention and prompted calls for authorities to establish what led to his sudden death.
The circumstances surrounding his death have remained a subject of public discussion, with the singer’s family and other interested parties pursuing different legal and investigative avenues over the years.
The latest police action also comes shortly after the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/363/2026.
The case was filed by the Registered Trustees of Break the Silence Foundation, which had approached the court seeking an order compelling the police to conduct another investigation into Mohbad’s death.
Justice James Omotosho dismissed the suit after finding that the applicant had not established sufficient grounds to support the request for a fresh investigation.
The court had earlier granted the organisation permission to commence the case.
The suit had listed the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force and the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, as respondents.
However, the Aloba family has now made it clear that the court case was separate from the petition it submitted to the IGP.
Ogungbe said the family did not authorise the suit and was not responsible for its institution.
“The Aloba Family therefore does not wish the public to conflate the dismissal of that suit with the separate investigative process already commenced pursuant to the Family’s petition to the Inspector-General of Police,” the statement noted.
The clarification is important because the Federal High Court’s decision could otherwise be interpreted as an end to all efforts to reopen the investigation into Mohbad’s death.
The family has maintained that this is not the case.
According to the lawyer, the police process initiated through the family’s petition remains active, with investigators already engaging members of the family.
The family is also expected to continue providing materials that could assist the investigation.
These include documents, information and the identities of people who may have relevant knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death.
The lawyers said the family wants the police to examine all relevant circumstances and persons connected to the matter.
They also called for the investigation to be handled with diligence, independence and professionalism.
The family said its intention was not to determine the outcome of the investigation before the police complete their work.
It also rejected any suggestion that it was attempting to conduct the matter through the media.
The lawyers said the family wanted the new process to establish the facts and provide a clear account of what happened.
Earlier in April 2026, the Federal High Court in Abuja had granted the Break the Silence Foundation permission to pursue its case seeking a fresh police investigation.
The foundation had argued that important aspects of the earlier investigation required further examination.
The matter later proceeded to the stage where the court fixed September 29, 2026, for judgment.
However, the suit was dismissed before the family announced the status of its separate petition to the IGP.
The Special Enquiry Bureau will now be expected to examine the issues raised in the petition and determine the relevant facts based on available evidence.
The family has indicated that it will continue to cooperate with the investigators throughout the process.
It also urged the police to ensure that all relevant information is properly examined and that the investigation is allowed to run its course without interference.
The family further maintained that its objective is to see a credible process that can establish the circumstances surrounding Mohbad’s death.
It said it would not seek to prejudge the findings of the investigators or use the media to determine the outcome.
“The re-investigation is ongoing. The Aloba Family remains fully engaged. The pursuit of justice for Mohbad continues,” the statement concluded.
