A DNA test result presented before a Lagos State coroner has confirmed that an unidentified body deposited at the Ikorodu General Hospital morgue was that of Pelumi Onifade, a reporter with Gboah TV.
The confirmation was disclosed on Tuesday by Temitope Oladele, the investigating magistrate handling the coroner’s inquest into the death of the journalist.
Oladele said she received a sealed forensic report from the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, which established a match between the body tagged 1385 and a DNA sample provided by Adebose Onifade, Pelumi’s mother.
NPO Reports recall that on October 24, 2020, Onifade, a 200-level student of the Department of History, Tai-Solarin University of Education, had gone to the Abule Egba area of Lagos State to cover the #EndSARS protest.
While on assignment, he had filmed an incident involving the President of the Yoruba Youth Forum, Olusegun Abiodun Bolarinwa, shooting into a crowd of protesters.
Onifade later moved to cover an attempted break-in at a government facility in Agege, where he was arrested.
However, he was later hit by a bullet and dragged in a police van.
He was last seen alive on October 24 in the custody of police officers in the state capital, Ikeja.
Days later, Gboah TV announced that his body had been found at a mortuary in the Ikorodu area of Lagos.
Following a legal action, the Federal High Court in Lagos on July 19, 2024, ordered the Lagos State Government to conduct a coroner’s inquest to determine the circumstances surrounding Onifade’s death, after which the inquest commenced in October 2024.
In November 2025, the coroner ordered the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to conduct a post-mortem examination on the unidentified body tagged 1385.
During proceedings in March 2026, counsel to Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Alimi Adamu, informed the coroner that a prolonged LASUTH strike, which had delayed the process, had been called off.
In April, LASUTH said the body could not initially be identified because DNA samples kept at the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre were destroyed during the October 2020 #EndSARS protests.
At Tuesday’s hearing, Adamu questioned whether LASUTH had complied with the earlier order of the court regarding the post-mortem examination.
The coroner said she had not received a response from LASUTH but had received a document from the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre confirming the DNA match.
Oladele said she believed the autopsy process had either been completed or should have been carried out.
Adamu, while acknowledging the coroner’s position, said Onifade’s family had endured a prolonged wait for answers and closure. He urged the court to issue another order directing LASUTH to release the autopsy report.
The coroner said administrative steps would first be explored before any further action was taken. She directed that a final reminder be issued to LASUTH to immediately produce the autopsy report.
The magistrate also advised MRA’s legal team to visit LASUTH physically to facilitate compliance and warned that the court could invoke its powers to compel the release of the report if administrative efforts failed.
The matter has been adjourned until July 7, 2026.