Six years after her son was killed during the 2020 #EndSARS protests, Bosede Onifade has made an emotional appeal to authorities to release his remains for burial following the confirmation of his identity through DNA testing.
Pelumi Onifade, a 20-year-old Mass Communication student and intern with Gboah TV, went missing on October 24, 2020, while covering the #EndSARS protest in the Abule Egba area of Lagos.
Witnesses said Pelumi was hit by a bullet before operatives of the Lagos State Police Taskforce allegedly took him away alongside other arrested protesters.
In August 2024, the Federal High Court in Lagos directed the Lagos State Government to conduct a coroner’s inquest to establish the circumstances surrounding Pelumi’s death and identify those responsible.
Justice Ayokunle Faji, while ruling in a suit filed by Media Rights Agenda (MRA) against the police and the Lagos State Government, held that the Attorney-General had the authority under Section 74 of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law to obtain the police case file needed for the inquest.
The coroner’s inquest, concluded on June 24, 2026, confirmed that the body labelled 1385 in a mortuary belonged to Pelumi after it matched the DNA sample provided by his mother.
Following the ruling, Bosede pleaded with the authorities to hand over her son’s remains so the family could finally lay him to rest.
“We want them to release his body. If they have already killed him, they should give his body to us to bury,” she said.
According to her, Pelumi was carrying out his duties as a journalist and did not deserve to lose his life.
“He was not doing anything wrong. Even if he was doing something wrong, they could have arrested him instead of killing him in cold blood,” she added.
Bosede said the prolonged wait for justice has left her emotionally devastated, revealing that she now battles depression and memory loss while struggling to support Pelumi’s two younger sisters through the proceeds from selling homemade pap.
She also referred to reports that compensation may be paid to families of victims, saying no amount of money could replace her son.
“They said they would give families of the victims some money, but will it bring my son back? At least, it can help us take care of his siblings,” she said.
Despite the years that have passed, Bosede said she remains proud to be known as “Mama Pelumi,” insisting that her son’s name will always remain part of her identity.
The #EndSARS protests, which swept across Nigeria in October 2020, began as demonstrations against police brutality and the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). The movement later expanded into nationwide calls for police reform, accountability and improved governance.
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