Police release Naira Marley, one other from custody over Mohbad’s death

Police in Lagos State released musician and label owner Azeez Fashola (Naira Marley) and Samson Balogun (Sam Larry) from custody on Friday after meeting their bail conditions.

The duo had been in police custody over October’s mysterious death of rapper, musician, and song writer, Ilerioluwa Aloba (Mohbad).

Police spokesman in Lagos State, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed their release in a statement he issued on Friday at Ikeja.

Naira Marley, Sam Larry, and two others were arraigned before a Yaba Magistrate’s Court on Oct. 6 over their alleged involvement in the death of Mohbad and were remanded in police custody.

The court granted them bail on Nov. 6 in the sum of N20 million with three responsible sureties in like sum.

The magistrate, Mr. Adeola Olatunbosun, ruled that the defendants should submit their passports and report weekly to the state’s Criminal Investigation Department at Panti, Yaba.

“Naira Marley and Sammy Larry, having met their bail conditions, have been released from custody,’’ Hundeyin stated.

Born in Lagos on Jan. 3, 1996, Mohbad died in mysterious circumstances on Sept. 12, 2023, and was buried the following day.

His death sparked nationwide protests, forcing the Lagos State government to order the exhumation of the body for a coroner’s inquest.

Mohbad was said to have attended a concert in Ikorodu, Lagos State, on Sept. 10, where he sustained injuries in a fracas.

Among those the police questioned over his death were the late singer’s father, mother, sisters, brother, friends, wife, and manager.

The police also invited a childhood friend of Mohbad, Ibrahim Owodunni (Primeboy), for questioning.

Police detained Naira Marley and Sam Larry over their alleged roles in the singer’s death, as they were reported to have been bullying the rapper.

Mohbad was formerly signed to Naira Marley’s Marlian Records but left the label in 2022.

Addressing a news conference in Ikeja on Oct. 5 on preliminary findings on Mohbad’s death, Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr. Idowu Owohunwa, named an auxiliary nurse, Feyisayo Ogedengbe, as the prime suspect.

Ogedengbe was reported to have injected the deceased three times in his home on Sept. 12 before he started vomiting and developing goose bumps.

Owohunwa said 26 people had been interviewed concerning Mohbad’s death.

According to Owohunwa, Mohbad was taken to the hospital lifeless and was declared dead on Sept. 12 by the attending physicians.

He said the auxiliary nurse was called to inject the singer at his home by Mohbad’s friend, Ayobami Isiaka, aka “Spending’’.

Ogedengbe gave the singer three injections that were believed to have resulted in a series of events that led to his death, the police commissioner said.

He said that Primeboy and Mohbad went to the concert together on Sept. 10, and they engaged in violent altercations after the show.

The ensuing fight from the altercation caused harm to the late singer.

“The management of the injury subsequently resulted in his death,” Owohunwa said.