Ebenezer Adurokiya, Reporting
A postmortem examination has confirmed that young journalist Pelumi Onifade died from injuries caused by a firearm projectile that entered his body through the lower back and caused extensive damage and severe internal bleeding.
Onifade, a journalist with Gboah TV, was reportedly shot and arrested while covering the #EndSARS protests in Lagos on October 24, 2020.
According to a nine-page postmortem report issued by the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), the cause of death was recorded as “massive haemoperitoneum” and “penetrating firearms injury to the abdomen”.
The examination was conducted at the LASUTH morgue on November 4, 2020, by Consultant Pathologist, Professor Sunday Sokunle Soyemi, with Professor John Oladapo Obafunwa, Supervising Consultant, in attendance.
The autopsy was authorised by the Coroner, Mrs Bola Folarin-Williams, while the report was finalised and signed on July 30, 2026.
The report identified the body, tagged No. 1385, as that of Onifade based on DNA analysis provided by the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre.
The postmortem report said the “massive haemoperitoneum” indicated a large quantity of blood had accumulated inside the abdominal cavity as a result of internal injuries.
The pathologist said the injuries were “consistent with a firearm injury to the abdomen with the ricochet of the missile”.
The examination also revealed “bony spicules embedded in the soft tissue of the abdomen”, which the report said were consistent with a penetrating firearm injury, as well as a fracture of the fifth lumbar vertebra.
The report stated that the trajectory of the projectile was “posterior-to-anterior, right-to-left and infero-superior”, indicating that it entered from the rear and travelled through the body towards the front, from the right towards the left and upwards.
The pathologist also recorded that there was no external evidence of significant natural disease.
The report noted that Onifade’s face was clean-shaven, his ears had not been pierced for jewellery and his mouth contained a set of natural teeth in good condition. His fingernails and toenails were described as short, clean and well kept, while there was no identifiable nicotine staining on his fingers.
The report further stated that there were no scars, tattoos or other identifying marks on the body.
The findings have been submitted to the Coroner’s Court investigating the circumstances surrounding Onifade’s death.
The inquest was convened by the Lagos State Government following an order of the Federal High Court in Lagos after Media Rights Agenda (MRA) sued the Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Police Force, seeking an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the journalist’s death.
In a judgment delivered on July 19, 2024, Justice Ayokunle Olayinka Faji directed the Attorney-General of Lagos State to take necessary steps to investigate the circumstances of Onifade’s death and conduct a coroner’s inquest to determine the cause of death and identify and prosecute those responsible.
MRA said the postmortem report formed part of the proceedings before the Coroner’s Court.
The report concluded that the fatal injuries resulted from a firearm projectile entering the abdominal region and causing extensive internal damage and haemorrhage.
Further proceedings in the coroner’s inquest have been adjourned until October 6, 2026.
