Nigerian singer Abdulazeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, and socialite Samson Eletu, known as Sam Larry, have filed a fundamental rights suit challenging their continued detention over the death of Nigerian Afrobeat musician Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, News About Nigeria reports.
Named as defendants in the suit filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos are the police and Lagos magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun, who ordered their remand in police custody for 21 days.
In the suit filed through their lawyer, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), Naira Marley and Sam Larry each demand N20 million in damages from the defendants.
They are also urging the court to declare that their continued detention ‘at the Homicide Section of the Lagos State Police Command, Panti, Yaba, Lagos State since October 4, 2023,’ violated their human rights.
They are also praying the court to order the police to release them from custody, as their 21 days have elapsed.
According to the affidavits attached to their suits, they said, ‘Their troubles started between October 3 and 4, 2023 when the police arrested them on the alleged connection of the applicants with the death of one Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad.
‘On the 4th day of October 2023, the Commissioner of Police sought an order in the Magistrates’ Court, held at Yaba, to remand them for 30 days. Chief Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun granted the police’s application to remand them for only 21 days in the custody of the police.’
They further revealed that their 21-day remand order granted by Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun has since lapsed on October 26, 2023, and the order has not been renewed, but they are still trapped in custody, which is clearly against their fundamental human rights.
27-year-old Mohbad, a former signee of Naira Marley’s ‘Marlian record,’ died under unclear circumstances on the 12th of September, 2023.
Before his demise, Mohbad had accused Sam Larry of bullying him.
This led to the arrest and subsequent detention of Naira Marley and Sam Larry, who are also allegedly accomplices in bullying the late Mohbad.
