Mohbad: Can Police Boost  Public Confidence in Criminal Justice 

Can anything good come out from the attempt by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to unravel the mysteries surrounding the death of the 27-year-old fast-rising artiste, Ileri-Oluwa Oladimeji, popularly known as Mohbad?

This is the question begging for answer since the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Idowu Owohunwa, constituted a 13-man special team to unravel the cause of his death.

Mohbad died on September 12 amid suspicious circumstances that have sparked widespread controversies and outrage, with many alleging that he was killed by his estranged allies who are backed by powerful political forces.

Following the directive by the acting Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Owohunwa, constituted the panel to investigate the death.

The panel is to carry out a discreet investigation, which covers exhumation, autopsy/toxicology/histology, scene visit, hospital/medical report, records of suspects/witnesses’ statements.

But in view of alleged powerful political forces said to be backing the suspected killers and the shoddy handling of criminal investigations by the police, many Nigerians suspect the investigation will provide a cover-up.

Mohbad’s fans believe that police should have set up such an investigative panel when he raised the alarm that his life was under threat.

Mohbad had sent a petition to the police about threats to his life, but the police did nothing. It was after his death and hurried burial that the police swung into action, following a public outcry.

His fans argued that the action of the police is equivalent to administering medicine after death, pointing out that if the police had acted on his petition, the young man would still have been alive.

Many also argued that the police, which failed to give him justice by saving his life while he was alive, cannot be trusted in his death.

This culture of negligence of petitions by the police promotes a culture of impunity and encourages a society where criminals feel untouchable.

The criminal justice system in the country is in dire need of reform.

The right to life should not be a concept that only exists in print and imagination; it must be upheld by the state.

Nigerians are anxiously waiting to see what will come out of the investigation.