Nearly six years after the mysterious disappearance of young journalist Pelumi Onifade while covering the historic #EndSARS protests in Lagos, a breakthrough in the long-running search for answers has finally brought a measure of closure to his grieving family. A DNA analysis conducted by the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre has conclusively established that an unidentified body recovered in the aftermath of the 2020 protests belongs to the missing journalist, confirming fears that had haunted his loved ones since his disappearance.
The emotional revelation was made before a Coroner's Court in Lagos, where Magistrate Temitope Oladele disclosed the findings after receiving the forensic report. The confirmation marked a deeply emotional moment for Pelumi's parents, particularly his mother, Mrs. Adebose Onifade, who reportedly broke down in tears upon learning that the remains identified through DNA testing were indeed those of her son.
The heartbreaking development represents the latest chapter in a painful journey that has lasted almost six years, during which Pelumi's family relentlessly sought answers regarding his disappearance and alleged death while carrying out his professional duties as a journalist documenting one of Nigeria's most significant protest movements.
Pelumi Onifade disappeared on October 24, 2020, while covering demonstrations linked to the nationwide #EndSARS movement, which emerged as a youth-led campaign against police brutality, human rights abuses, and the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). His disappearance quickly became one of the most widely publicized unresolved cases associated with the protests, generating widespread concern among journalists, civil society organizations, media rights advocates, and members of the public.
Over the years, Pelumi's family consistently maintained that they deserved to know what happened to their son. Their demands for justice were supported by the Media Rights Agenda (MRA), a prominent media freedom organization that became actively involved in pursuing legal remedies aimed at uncovering the truth surrounding the journalist's disappearance.
DDM News gathered that the breakthrough followed years of sustained legal action against both the Nigeria Police Force and the Lagos State Government. The Onifade family, together with Media Rights Agenda, instituted a wrongful-death lawsuit seeking accountability and an official investigation into the circumstances surrounding Pelumi's disappearance and presumed death.
A major turning point came on July 19, 2024, when Justice Ayokunle Olayinka Faji of the Federal High Court delivered a landmark judgment directing the Lagos State Attorney-General to initiate a comprehensive investigation into Pelumi's death. The court further ordered that a coroner's inquest be conducted to establish the circumstances leading to his death and determine whether any individual or institution bore responsibility.
The judgment renewed hopes that the family would eventually receive long-awaited answers after years of uncertainty and frustration. However, despite the court's directive, progress remained slow as legal representatives continued pressing relevant authorities to comply fully with the court's orders.
The investigation gained fresh momentum on May 22, 2026, when counsel representing Media Rights Agenda, Alimi Adamu, urged the Coroner's Court to compel the Chief Medical Examiner at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to release the autopsy report relating to an unidentified body labeled No. 1385.
The application was based on information contained in an earlier LASUTH report dated March 24, 2026, which disclosed that six unidentified bodies brought to the hospital on November 3, 2020, had undergone autopsies. According to the report, DNA samples collected from those bodies, along with reference samples obtained from relatives of missing persons, had been forwarded to the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre for scientific comparison.
As proceedings resumed before the Coroner's Court on June 23, 2026, both of Pelumi's parents were present in anticipation of developments in the case. Lawyers representing Media Rights Agenda informed the court that all previous judicial directives had been properly served on LASUTH and requested further guidance regarding the delayed release of the autopsy findings.
Although the hospital had yet to file a formal response before the court, Magistrate Oladele revealed that she had already received a sealed forensic report from the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre. Upon opening and reviewing the document, she confirmed that the DNA profile obtained from the unidentified body matched the reference sample earlier provided by Mrs. Onifade.
The announcement immediately transformed years of uncertainty into heartbreaking certainty. For Pelumi's mother, who had endured years of emotional anguish not knowing whether her son was alive or dead, the confirmation represented both a devastating loss and the painful closure she had long sought.
Magistrate Oladele acknowledged that LASUTH had been dealing with significant operational pressures but expressed concern that the autopsy process should have been completed much earlier. She emphasized that despite institutional challenges, judicial directives required timely compliance to ensure justice was not delayed.
Lawyer Alimi Adamu strongly criticized the prolonged delays, arguing that Pelumi's family had already endured years of emotional suffering while waiting for answers. He maintained that the repeated necessity for additional court orders reflected persistent non-compliance with earlier judicial instructions and unnecessarily prolonged the family's search for justice.
Adamu also questioned the continued position of the Nigeria Police, which has consistently denied taking Pelumi into custody during the protests. That denial has remained a central point of contention throughout the investigation, especially as public scrutiny surrounding the journalist's disappearance has continued to grow over the years.
The case has become symbolic of broader concerns regarding accountability for events surrounding the #EndSARS protests. Human rights advocates have repeatedly argued that every missing person associated with the protests deserves a full investigation, regardless of how much time has passed.
DDM News understands that Magistrate Oladele warned she may invoke stronger judicial powers if LASUTH continues delaying the release of the complete autopsy report. While expressing a preference for exhausting administrative measures before imposing sanctions, she made it clear that the court possesses the authority to compel compliance should the hospital fail to respond adequately.
As part of her latest directives, the magistrate ordered that one final reminder be sent to LASUTH urging immediate compliance with the court's earlier instructions. She also directed lawyers representing Media Rights Agenda to personally visit the hospital to facilitate the release of the outstanding autopsy report.
The court cautioned that failure to comply with the latest directive could result in coercive legal measures aimed at enforcing obedience to the court's orders.
The matter has now been adjourned until July 7, 2026, when the Coroner's Court is expected to receive further updates regarding the autopsy findings and continue examining the circumstances surrounding Pelumi Onifade's death.
For Pelumi's family, the DNA confirmation marks the end of one painful chapter but the beginning of another—the pursuit of accountability for the circumstances that led to the death of a young journalist who disappeared while carrying out his constitutional duty of documenting one of the defining moments in Nigeria's democratic history.
As the legal process continues, many Nigerians, media organizations, and human rights advocates are expected to closely monitor the proceedings, hoping that the remaining stages of the coroner's inquest will finally provide full answers regarding how Pelumi Onifade died, whether any laws were violated, and who, if anyone, should ultimately be held responsible.