The police added that it invited music promoter, Samson Balogun, aka Sam Larry and others, following the receipt of the June 27 petition by MohBad, over alleged assault, amongst others.
The Lagos Annex, Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, of the Nigeria Police Force, Zone 2, Alagbon, has revealed that it could not act on a petition written by late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba aka MohBad, because “he never showed up, and there was nothing the police could do if a petitioner refused to defend their petition.”
The police added that it invited music promoter, Samson Balogun, aka Sam Larry and others, following the receipt of the June 27 petition by MohBad, over alleged assault, amongst others.
The federal police department further noted that a lawyer to Sam Larry and the other suspects also wrote a counter-petition against Mohbad, alleging defamation of character, after the singer failed to show up to defend his case.
In an interview with PUNCH on Thursday night, the spokesperson for the Lagos Annex of the FCID, Oluniyi Ogundeyi, further revealed that the late singer, Mohbad failed to show up at the police station to adopt and defend his petition, and also provide proof of the allegations, to assist the police in prosecuting the suspects, if necessary.
This followed the emergence of a document, wherein the late singer reported a case of alleged threat to life, malicious damage, assault, and oppression, among others, against a music promoter, Samson Balogun, aka Sam Larry and others, in a petition to the FCID Annex, Alagbon, Lagos State.
In the June 27, 2023 petition, Mohbad alleged that Sam Larry and 15 others all armed, stormed the venue of a video shoot where the deceased and another artiste, Omoniyi Temidayo aka Zlatan Ibile, were working; and threatened to wreak havoc.
He added that they eventually destroyed equipment worth over N5 million at the scene, and assaulted him (Mohbad) before he narrowly escaped after sustaining injuries.
But the police Public Relations Officer, FCID Annex, Lagos, Oluniyi Ogundeyi revealed that the police could not act on the petition due to MohBad’s refusal to come up and adopt, defend, and also provide evidence to support the allegations made by him.
Ogundeyi said, “We received the petition, and followed up on the information provided in the petition, and the suspects were invited. But MohBad refused to show up to defend his petition and also provide evidence to assist the police in carrying out a proper investigation and forward the matter to the legal department for prosecution, if necessary.
“It is true that MohBad reported the case on June 27, 2023. The IPO confirmed this to me today (Thursday), and showed me the case file. The IPO revealed that Sam Larry and other suspects mentioned in the petition were invited for questioning and they honoured the invite and also gave their statements. But the deceased refused to show up to adopt and defend his petition, and a lawyer to Sam Larry and the other suspects filed a counter-petition accusing Mohbad of defaming them.
“The police even reached out to Mohbad on several occasions, but he never showed up, and there was nothing the police could do if a petitioner refused to defend their petition and provide evidence to help the police in investigating the matter and forward the case file to the legal department of the suspects are found culpable.”
Earlier, the Force PRO, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in an official statement entitled, ‘Mohbad’s Death: We Will Carry Out Diligent Investigation – FPRO,’ noted that the police was committed to a comprehensive investigation into the matter, adding that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police has been tasked to unravel the circumstances surrounding his death.
Adejobi said, “Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family, friends, and fans of the late Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, known as Mohbad, who recently passed away. We understand the concerns regarding his untimely demise.
“The Nigeria Police Force is committed to a comprehensive investigation into this matter, as the Lagos State Commissioner of Police has been tasked to unravel the circumstances surrounding his death. Rest assured, updates will be provided as investigations unfold.
“We encourage family members or close associates with valuable information to approach the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to assist in this process. In the meantime, we kindly request that individuals refrain from making statements or engaging in activities that could jeopardize the ongoing investigation. Your trust and support are deeply valued.”