Naira Marley, Sam Larry Launch Legal Battle, Demand N40m in Mohbad Case

Singer Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, and one of his allies, Samson Eletu, better known as Sam Larry, have filed a fundamental rights suit to challenge their “continued detention” over the death of singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, alias Mohbad.

Naira Marley and Sam Larry are each demanding N20m in damages from the police and the Lagos magistrate, Adeola Olatunbosun, over what they term their “continued detention” in police custody. They have joined the police and the Lagos magistrate as defendants in the suit filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos.

The magistrate had ordered the remand of Naira Marley and Sam Larry in police custody for 21 days over the death of 27-year-old Mohbad, who died earlier in September.

However, Olalekan Ojo (SAN), the counsel for Naira Marley and Sam Larry, informed that both defendants are urging the court to declare that the continued detention “at the Homicide Section of the Lagos State Police Command, Panti, Yaba, Lagos State since October 4, 2023” constituted a violation of their rights.

They argue that the magistrate ordered their remand for only 21 days, and that period has now elapsed. They are seeking “an order of the court releasing the applicants forthwith.”