Coroner Orders Contempt Proceedings Against Ikorodu Hospital Director Over Late Journalist’s Records

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Pelumi Onifade


A Lagos District Coroner, Mrs. Temitope Oladele, has ordered contempt proceedings against the Medical Director of Ikorodu General Hospital for failing to comply with a court order to produce records relating to the remains of the late journalist, Pelumi Onifade, who reportedly died in police custody during the #EndSARS protests in October 2020.


At the resumed hearing of the inquest on October 7, 2025, the Coroner directed that Form 48, the “Notice of Consequences of Disobedience of Court Order”, together with a Certified True Copy of the court’s order, be served on the Medical Director or any authorized representative of the hospital.


The order to produce hospital records regarding the deposit, release, or current status of Mr. Onifade’s remains was first issued on August 8, 2025, following an application by Mr. Monday Arunsi, counsel to Media Rights Agenda (MRA). 


The Medical Director had reportedly refused to release the records, claiming they were confidential medical documents.


Mr. Samuel Adebola of the law firm Charles Musa & Co., representing MRA and the Onifade family, told the Coroner that despite being duly served on August 26, the hospital had failed to comply. 


He added that when MRA’s legal team visited the facility on October 2 to meet the Medical Director, they were kept waiting for over five hours without being attended to.


The Coroner granted the application for contempt proceedings and directed that Form 48 be served accordingly, before adjourning the inquest to October 22, 2025.


Mr. Onifade, a reporter with Gboah TV, was allegedly arrested by policemen attached to the Lagos State Task Force while covering the #EndSARS protests and later found dead at the Ikorodu General Hospital mortuary. 


The inquest was ordered by a Federal High Court following a wrongful death suit filed by MRA against the Police and the Lagos State Government.



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