A DNA test has confirmed that an unidentified body found at a mortuary in Ikorodu, Lagos, belongs to Pelumi Onifade, the journalist who went missing after his arrest during the #EndSARS protests in 2020.
Onifade, whose full name was Onifade Emmanuel Pelumi, was covering the protests against police brutality on October 24, 2020, when he was reportedly arrested by police officers in the Agege area of Lagos. He had identified himself as a journalist and was wearing clothing clearly marking him as a member of the press at the time of his arrest.
Days later, an unidentified body was deposited at a mortuary in Ikorodu, sparking suspicions that it could be Onifade. However, the body remained unidentified for years, leaving his family and loved ones searching for answers.
In July 2024, a Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the Lagos State Government to conduct a coroner’s inquest into the circumstances surrounding his death and directed the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to carry out a post-mortem examination on the unidentified body.
LASUTH later explained that efforts to identify the remains had been delayed because DNA samples stored at the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre were destroyed during the October 2020 #EndSARS unrest.
Following prolonged legal proceedings, a fresh DNA test was eventually conducted using a sample provided by Onifade’s mother. The magistrate handling the case disclosed that the results confirmed a DNA match between the unidentified body and the sample submitted by his mother, finally establishing the identity of the deceased nearly six years after his disappearance.
The confirmation brings a painful end to years of uncertainty for Onifade’s family, who have continued to seek justice and closure since his disappearance.
The family’s legal team is now calling for a full autopsy to determine the exact cause of death and help identify those responsible.
The matter has been adjourned until July 7, 2026, for further proceedings.
