Four years later, a DNA test confirms the fate of missing #EndSARS journalist Pelumi Onifada

The mystery surrounding the disappearance of journalist Pelumi Onifade during the #EndSARS 2020 protests has finally been solved after DNA test results confirmed that the unidentified body deposited at the Ikorodu mortuary is his.

Pelumi, who was monitoring youth-led protests, reportedly disappeared after being arrested by police officers in Agege on October 24, 2020, despite identifying himself as a journalist and wearing a press jacket.

After years of uncertainty, a judge confirmed that DNA results matched a sample provided by Pelumi’s mother with a previously unidentified body found in Ikorodu.

“The DNA results established a match between the previously unidentified body and the sample provided by Pelumi’s mother,” the court heard.

This development comes almost four years after the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the Lagos State Government to conduct a coroner’s investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death and ordered the Lagos State University Hospital (LASUTH) to conduct a post-mortem.

LASUTH earlier disclosed that identification attempts were delayed after DNA samples stored at the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Center were destroyed during the #EndSARS unrest.

The confirmation brought a painful but long-awaited end to Pelumi’s family, who had spent years searching for answers about his whereabouts.

The development has also sparked emotional reactions online, with many Nigerians calling for justice and accountability.

Pelumi’s legal team is now requesting an autopsy to determine the exact cause of his death. The case was adjourned until July 7, 2026.