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JUST IN: Police Invited Sam Larry, Mohbad Failed To Show Up – FCID

Published

2 years ago

September 14, 2023

Editor

The Lagos Annex, Force Criminal Investigation Department of the Nigeria Police Force, Zone 2, Alagbon, has revealed that it invited music promoter, Samson Balogun, aka Sam Larry and others, following the receipt of the June 27 petition by the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba aka Mohbad, over alleged assault, amongst others.

The federal police department further noted that a lawyer to Sam Larry and the other suspects also wrote a counter-petition against Mohbad, alleging defamation of character, after the singer failed to show up to defend his case.

In an exclusive telephone interview with The PUNCH Thursday night, the spokesperson for the Lagos Annex of the FCID, Oluniyi Ogundeyi, further revealed that the late singer, Mohbad failed to show up at the police station to adopt and defend his petition, and also provide proof of the allegations, to assist the police in prosecuting the suspects, if necessary.

This followed the emergence of a document, wherein the late singer reported a case of alleged threat to life, malicious damage, assault, and oppression, among others, against a music promoter, Samson Balogun, aka Sam Larry and others, in a petition to the FCID Annex, Alagbon, Lagos State.

In the June 27, 2023 petition, Mohbad alleged that Sam Larry and 15 others all armed, stormed the venue of a video shoot where the deceased and another artiste, Omoniyi Temidayo aka Zlatan Ibile, were working; and threatened to wreak havoc.

He added that they eventually destroyed equipment worth over N5 million at the scene, and assaulted him (Mohbad) before he narrowly escaped after sustaining injuries.

The petition read, “I of the above name and address, a law-abiding citizen and a Musician bring to your notice the assault and threat to my life by the above-mentioned persons.

“On 25th June, 2023, while having a video shoot with another artiste by name Zlatan (Ibile, the above-mentioned persons numbering about fifteen led by Sam Larry Elegushi invaded the premises with dangerous arms such as guns, cutlasses etc where I was shooting video and scattered the whole process of the shooting, damaged the equipment I was using for the shooting valued about Five Million Naira and started threatening my life which in the process they became violent and assaulted me which I sustained injuries but narrowly escaped.

“Attached to this petition is the said pictures. Total amount I paid for the shooting they have destroyed is Eight Million Naira (N8,000,000) which is non-refundable.

“However, during the assault, they were boasting that they work for Oba Elegushi and that they have been asked to deal with me for reasons best known to them which to date they are still threatening to kill me if seen. Sir, I call on your good office to save my life from the above mentioned persons and bring them to book.

“Sir, I call on your good office to save my life from the above mentioned persons and bring them to book,” the petition partly read. Thank you for your timely intervention.”

When contacted by our correspondent on Thursday night over the recent development, the Police Public Relations Officer, FCID Annex, Lagos, Oluniyi Ogundeyi revealed that the police could not act on the petition due to Mohbad’s refusal to come up and adopt, defend, and also provide evidence to support the allegations made by him.

Ogundeyi said, “We received the petition, and followed up on the information provided in the petition, and the suspects were invited. But Mohbad refused to show up to defend his petition and also provide evidence to assist the police in carrying out a proper investigation and forward the matter to the legal department for prosecution, if necessary.

“It is true that Mohbad reported the case on June 27, 2023. The IPO confirmed this to me today (Thursday), and showed me the case file. The IPO revealed that Sam Larry and other suspects mentioned in the petition were invited for questioning and they honoured the invite and also gave their statements. But the deceased refused to show up to adopt and defend his petition, and a lawyer to Sam Larry and the other suspects filed a counter-petition accusing Mohbad of defaming them.

“The police even reached out to Mohbad on several occasions, but he never showed up, and there was nothing the police could do if a petitioner refused to defend their petition and provide evidence to help the police in investigating the matter and forward the case file to the legal department of the suspect’s are found culpable.”

Earlier, the Force PRO, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in an official statement entitled, ‘Mohbad’s Death: We Will Carry Out Diligent Investigation – FPRO,’ noted that the police was committed to a comprehensive investigation into the matter, adding that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police has been tasked to unravel the circumstances surrounding his death.

Adejobi said, “Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family, friends, and fans of the late Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, known as Mohbad, who recently passed away. We understand the concerns regarding his untimely demise.

“The Nigeria Police Force is committed to a comprehensive investigation into this matter, as the Lagos State Commissioner of Police has been tasked to unravel the circumstances surrounding his death. Rest assured, updates will be provided as investigations unfold.

“We encourage family members or close associates with valuable information to approach the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to assist in this process. In the meantime, we kindly request that individuals refrain from making statements or engaging in activities that could jeopardize the ongoing investigation. Your trust and support are deeply valued.”

The PUNCH reports that controversial socialite Sam Larry has come under fire on social media after a video where he and some others were seen harassing late singer, Mohbad surfaced on social media.

In the video, Mohbad and Zlatan were on set for a music video when Larry stormed the scene with some boys targeting Mohbad who scampered away in fear. Zlatan, however, tried to save the situation as he stood up to Larry and his allies to forestall any attack or bullying on Mohbad.

The video left many Nigerians on social media furious as they stormed Larry’s Instagram page to attack him for bullying and threatening the late singer. Larry, who is said to be an ally of Naira Marley, has since deactivated his Instagram account following the torrents of cyber attacks received since the video emerged.

The PUNCH reports that Mohbad died on Tuesday at the age of 27. Mohbad’s management also released an official statement confirming his passing away.

”It is with great sadness that we confirm the passing of Promise Oladimeji Aloba PK/A Mohbad (Imole) today, the 12th of September, 2023.

“Mohbad was light until the very end, and as we mourn the loss of the brightness he carried, the family thanks you for your love and prayers, and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time. Imole is finally at Peace,” the short statement posted on both his Instagram and X handles read.
PUNCH

News

Peter Obi Condemns Tinubu’s Saint Lucia Trip

Published

33 minutes ago

June 28, 2025

Editor

Labour Party leader and former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s planned trip to Saint Lucia, describing it as poorly timed and lacking in sensitivity, especially amid Nigeria’s deepening economic and security challenges.

Tinubu is expected to leave Nigeria on Saturday for Saint Lucia and is also scheduled to attend the upcoming BRICS summit in Brazil.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Obi expressed dismay over the president’s travel, questioning the state of governance in the country.

Obi argued that Tinubu’s trip highlights a pattern of misplaced priorities by the administration, particularly at a time when citizens are grappling with widespread hunger and insecurity.

“What I have seen and witnessed in the last two years has left me in shock about poor governance delivery and apparent channelling of energy into politics and satisfaction of the elites, while the masses in our midst are languishing in want,” Obi stated.

He lamented the toll of rising insecurity across Nigeria, pointing out the country’s deteriorating safety situation.

“In the past two years, Nigeria has lost more people to all sorts of criminality than a country that is officially at war.

“Without any twilight, Nigeria ranks among the most insecure places in the world. Nigerians are hungrier, and most people do not know where their next meal will come from,” he wrote.

Obi said he was stunned when he learned of the President’s travel plans, especially following what he described as a recent holiday in Lagos.

“With such a gory picture of one’s country, you can imagine my bewilderment when I saw a news release from the Presidency announcing that President Bola Tinubu is departing Nigeria today for a visit to Saint Lucia in the Caribbean,” he said.

Quoting Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister, Philip J. Pierre, Obi noted that the visit comprises both official and personal segments.

“According to the Prime Minister’s announcement, ‘two of these days, June 30 and July 1, will be dedicated to an official visit, with the remainder of the trip set aside as a personal vacation,” he said.

Obi noted that he initially found the report hard to believe.

“I told the person who drew my attention to the Caribbean story that it cannot be true and that the President is just coming back from a holiday in Lagos.

“I didn’t want to believe that anybody in the position of authority, more so the President… would contemplate a leisure trip at this time,” Obi said.

He condemned Tinubu’s failure to visit disaster-stricken areas like Minna in Niger State, where over 200 people reportedly died and hundreds remain missing due to flooding.

“This is a President going for leisure when he couldn’t visit Minna, Niger State where over two hundred lives were lost and over 700 persons still missing in a flood natural disaster,” he said.

Obi also took issue with Tinubu’s recent trip to Benue State, claiming it was politically motivated rather than compassionate.

“The other state in crisis where over two hundred lives were murdered, the President yielded to public pressure and visited Makurdi… for what turned out to be a political jamboree than condolence as public holiday was declared and children made to line up to receive the President who couldn’t even reach the village, the scene of the brutal attack,” he said.

Drawing comparisons between Nigeria and Saint Lucia, Obi questioned the logic of prioritising a visit to the Caribbean nation over addressing pressing domestic issues.

“Makurdi is 937.4 Km², which is over 59% bigger than St Lucia, which is 617 km², and Minna is 6789 square kilometres, which is ten times bigger than St Lucia. St Lucia, with a population of 180,000, is less than half of Makurdi’s 489,839 and Minna, with 532,000 is almost three times the population of St Lucia,” the former Anambra governor said.

He concluded his post by stressing the urgent need for leadership that is grounded in empathy and focused on addressing the suffering of ordinary Nigerians.

He said, “I don’t think the situation in this country today calls for leisure for anybody in a position of authority, more so the President, on whose desk the buck stops.

“This regime has repeatedly shown its insensitivity and lack of passion for the populace…”

Obi added, “This very obvious indifference of the federal government to the suffering of the Nigerian poor should urgently be reversed.

“One had expected the President to be asking God for extra hours in a day for the challenges, but what we see is a concentration of efforts in the 2027 election and on satisfying the wealthy while the mass poor continues to multiply in number.”

News

World Bank Lists Nigeria Among 39 Nations Facing Rising Poverty, Hunger

Published

48 minutes ago

June 28, 2025

Editor

The World Bank has listed Nigeria among 39 countries where poverty and hunger are deepening as a result of conflict and instability.

In a report released on Friday, the bank said the economies, a mix of low- and middle-income countries, span all global regions. Among them are Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe.

The report, which assesses the economic impact of conflict and fragility in the post-COVID-19 era, revealed that 21 of the 39 countries are experiencing active conflict.

According to the findings, extreme poverty is rising more rapidly in these countries, taking a severe toll on economic development, worsening hunger, and derailing progress toward key development goals.

Since 2020, the report noted, the average per capita GDP of these economies has declined by 1.8 per cent annually, in contrast to a 2.9 per cent growth rate recorded in other developing countries.

The report partly reads: “This year, 421 million people are struggling on less than $3 a day in economies afflicted by conflict or instability—more than in the rest of the world combined.

“That number is projected to rise to 435 million, or nearly 60% of the world’s extreme poor, by 2030.”

News

Nigeria’s Public Debt Rises To N149trn

Published

50 minutes ago

June 28, 2025

Editor

Nigeria’s total public debt rose to N149.39 trillion as of March 31, 2025, according to the latest data released by the Debt Management Office (DMO).

The nation’s public debt represents the indebtedness of the federal and state governments, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.

The Federal Government owes N74.89 trillion, while the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) owe the balance of N3.87 trillion.

The figure represents about 4. 72 trillion or 3.3 percent increase over the preceding quarter, with a debt stock figure of N144.67 trillion.

The data showed that external debt rose minimally by 0.5 percent between the end of 2024 and the end of March 2025 (N344 billion).

Although the nation’s external borrowing has been quite low since the last quarter of 2024, the Naira depreciation has had a very negative effect on the stock.

Domestic debt stood at N78.76 trillion as of the end of the first quarter compared to N65.65 trillion in March 2024.