A Lagos coroner has ordered contempt proceedings against Ikorodu General Hospital’s Medical Director for disobeying an order to release records on late journalist Pelumi Onifade.
The directive was issued on October 7, 2025, by District Coroner Mrs. Temitope Oladele during the resumed sitting of the inquest into Onifade’s death.
She ordered that “Form 48”, the legal notice informing a person of the consequences of disobedience of court orders, be issued along with a Certified True Copy of the order and served on the Medical Director or any other authorized hospital representative.
The coroner’s order stemmed from an earlier directive given on August 8, 2025, requiring the hospital to produce documentation relating to the deposit, release, or present status of Onifade’s remains.
This followed an application by lawyer Mr. Monday Arunsi, counsel to Media Rights Agenda,MRA, who reported that the Medical Director had declined to release the records on the grounds of medical confidentiality.
Onifade, a young reporter with Gboah TV, was arrested in October 2020 by policemen attached to a Lagos State taskforce while covering the #EndSARS protests. Days later, his body was found at the mortuary of Ikorodu General Hospital.
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His death prompted a wrongful death suit filed by MRA against the Police and the Lagos State Government. The Federal High Court in Lagos ordered a coroner’s inquest to investigate the circumstances.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Mr. Samuel Adebola of Charles Musa & Co., who led Mr. Arunsi on behalf of MRA and Onifade’s family, recounted efforts to secure compliance with the order.
He explained that Mr. Arunsi and colleague Ms. Jennifer Wala visited the hospital on October 2, 2025, but despite waiting for over five hours, the Medical Director failed to meet them, with staff claiming he was in a meeting.
Mr. Adebola maintained that the hospital had been duly served with the order since August 26, 2025, but had failed to comply within the stipulated seven days or provide any explanation. He therefore requested that contempt proceedings be initiated against the Medical Director.
The coroner agreed, granting the application and directing that Form 48 be served on the hospital’s head or another authorized officer. The inquest was subsequently adjourned to October 22, 2025, for further hearing.
Crediblenewsng.com
