Mohbad:  Naira Marley, Sam Larry sue police, magistrate for ₦20m over continued detention

Nigerian singer Abdulazeez Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and his associate, Samson Eletu, popularly called Sam Larry, have filed a suit against the police and a Lagos magistrate, Adeola Olatunbosun.

The lawsuit is in response to their prolonged detention, dating back to Wednesday, October 4, on charges related to their alleged involvement in the conspiracy and murder of fellow artist Mohbad.

Their legal representative, Olalekan Ojo, filed the suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos, seeking ₦20 million in damages for their extended confinement at the Homicide Section of the Lagos State Police Command, Panti, Yaba, Lagos State.

In the filed suit, Naira Marley and Sam Larry are petitioning the court to acknowledge that their continued detention “at the Homicide Section of the Lagos State Police Command, Panti, Yaba, Lagos State, since 4 October 2023,” constituted a violation of their rights.

The duo seeks “an order of the court releasing the applicants forthwith.”

The deponents said in the affidavits attached to their suits that their ordeal started between October 3 and 4, when they were apprehended by the police based on allegations linking them to the demise of Ilerioluwa Aloba, aka Mohbad.

“On the 4th day of October 2023, the Commissioner of Police sought an order in the Magistrates’ Court, held at Yaba, to remand them for 30 days,” the suit reads.

“Chief Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun granted the police application to remand them for only 21 days in the police custody.”

The deponents argued that the 21-day remand order granted by Chief Magistrate Olatunbosun expired on Thursday, October 26, and has not been renewed.