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Pelumi Onifade

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Pelumi Emmanuel Onifade (born 2000) was a Nigerian reporter who was extrajudicially killed in Lagos in October 2020 in connection with the #EndSARS Protests.[1][2][3]

Background

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At the time of his death, Onifade was a sophomore student of history at Tai Solarin University of Education. He was also interning as a reporter with Gboah TV, a Lagos-based online news channel.

Onifade was last seen alive on October 24 in police custody at Ikeja, where he had gone to cover an attempted break-in at a government facility in Agege while covering the #EndSARS protests for Gboah TV. It was at this point that he was reportedly hit by a bullet and carried away in a police van. His body was found six days later at a mortuary in Ikorodu, Lagos.[4] The circumstances that led to Onifade's death were kept away from his family and from the public, and his body was not released to his family for burial.[5][6]

The injustice of Onifade's death sparked sustained calls for investigation and justice advanced by media rights organisations such as the Committee to Protect Journalists, the International Press Institute, the Media Foundation for West Africa and the Media Rights Agenda.[7][8][9]

On October 17, 2024, four years after his death, a coroner's inquest was commenced at a Federal High Court in Lagos on the orders of the court.[10][11][12][13]

References

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  1. ^ Alabi, Mojeed (November 3, 2020). "#EndSARS: How police killed 20-year-old Nigerian journalist". PremiumTimes. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  2. ^ "#MySARSStory: Killed and Missing | Sahara Reporters". saharareporters.com. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  3. ^ Egwu, Patrick (2021-11-23). "LIVES ON THE LINE: Pelumi Onifade's last reporting assignment". TheCable. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  4. ^ "Onifade Emmanuel Pelumi". Committee to Protect Journalists. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  5. ^ "10-year-old Sister Of Slain Journalist Begs Buhari, Sanwo-Olu, Police To Release Brother's Corpse | Sahara Reporters". saharareporters.com. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  6. ^ Abimbola, Oluwakemi (2020-11-23). "VIDEO: Policemen shot my only son, aged 20, seized his corpse – Mom". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  7. ^ "Unresolved death of journalist Pelumi Onifade: MFWA, CPJ, IPI petition Lagos State Governor". Media Foundation For West Africa. 2024-03-01. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  8. ^ Asante, Kwaku (2023-07-27). "Nigerian authorities must ensure justice for Journalist Pelumi Onifade". Media Foundation For West Africa. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  9. ^ Abimbola, Oluwakemi (2020-11-23). "VIDEO: Policemen shot my only son, aged 20, seized his corpse – Mom". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  10. ^ Oyewo, Dayo (2024-08-07). "Court orders Lagos to probe killing of journalist during #EndSars". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  11. ^ "MFWA welcomes Lagos State Government's decision to probe journalist, Pelumi Onifade's death". Media Foundation For West Africa. 2024-09-09. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  12. ^ Oluwafemi, Ayodele (2024-10-18). "Coroner begins inquiry into journalist's death, seeks information from Lagos task force". TheCable. Retrieved 2024-10-20.
  13. ^ Akinmoyeje, Timileyin (2024-10-18). "Judicial Inquiry Into Pelumi Onifade's Death Launched 4 Years After His Death". Foundation For Investigative Journalism. Retrieved 2024-10-20.