Six Years Later, Autopsy Reveals What Happened To Journalist Pelumi Onifade

A long-awaited post-mortem report from the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) has revealed that journalist Pelumi Onifade died from a penetrating firearm injury to the abdomen, resulting in massive internal bleeding.

Onifade, a reporter with Gboah TV, disappeared on October 24, 2020, after he was reportedly taken away by security personnel while covering the #EndSARS unrest in Lagos. His remains were later found at a mortuary in Ikorodu and identified through DNA testing in 2026.

According to the nine-page post-mortem report, the body examined was initially identified as No. 1385. DNA analysis conducted by the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre subsequently confirmed that the remains belonged to Onifade.

The report, signed on July 30, 2026, stated that the cause of death was “massive haemoperitoneum” and “penetrating firearms injury to the abdomen.”
The pathologist explained that the large quantity of blood found inside the abdominal cavity was consistent with a firearm injury and the ricochet of a projectile. The examination also found bony fragments embedded in the abdominal soft tissue and a fracture of the fifth lumbar vertebra.

The projectile’s trajectory was described as posterior-to-anterior, right-to-left and infero-superior, indicating that it entered from the back and travelled towards the front, from the right side towards the left and upward through the body.

The findings establish the medical cause of death, but questions about the circumstances of the shooting and who fired the weapon remain part of the ongoing coroner’s proceedings.

The case followed a 2024 Federal High Court order directing that a coroner’s inquest be conducted to investigate Onifade’s death and determine those responsible. The inquest has faced delays in obtaining key forensic documents.

Further proceedings in the coroner’s inquest have been adjourned until October 6, 2026.

Source: TheCable, Media Rights Agenda statement, and corroborating reports.