The National Medical Services Laboratories (NMS Labs) in Pennsylvania, USA, has denied claims by the Lagos State Government that a toxicology test to determine the cause of death of Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, known as Mohbad, was conducted at its facility.
This statement from NMS Labs came after inquiries from our correspondent, who undertook a fact-finding mission to verify the cause of the musician’s death. The mission was prompted by public protests against a pathologist’s claim that an autopsy could not determine Mohbad’s cause of death due to decomposition.
The Lagos State Government had previously asserted that a toxicology test was conducted in the US. During a Coroner’s Court session in Ikorodu in November 2023, state counsel O. Akinde mentioned that the toxicology test was part of the autopsy process. Gbenga Omotoso, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, reiterated this claim in a live interview, stating that the test was conducted at NMS Labs in Pennsylvania.
“The matter is being handled by the state DNA and Forensic Centre, but they have affiliate centres in the US, including NMS Labs in Pennsylvania,” Omotoso said during the interview. The toxicology test results were reportedly received in Nigeria in April 2024 and given to a pathologist for interpretation.
However, when our correspondent contacted NMS Labs, Esther Dede, Client Services Associate for the Forensics Division, refuted the claim. “Unfortunately, we do not have a case for that patient,” Dede said, adding that compliance with HIPAA privacy regulations would require authorization from the submitting agency to release further information.
In response to the lab’s statement, Commissioner Omotoso explained that the information was provided by the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, which has affiliations with three US labs. He expressed the need to verify the details again due to the conflicting reports.
Mohbad, a former signee of Marlian Music, died on September 12, 2023, at the age of 27. His death led to significant controversy and a police investigation, including the arrest of Naira Marley and socialite Balogun Eletu (Sam Larry). The Lagos State Police Command formed a 13-man special investigation team and exhumed Mohbad’s body on September 21, 2023, for an autopsy.
The conflicting reports about the toxicology test have added to the uncertainty surrounding the cause of Mohbad’s death.
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