Bosede Onifade, mother of the 20‑year‑old journalist [Pelumi Onifade](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelumi_Onifade), who disappeared while reporting on the October 2020 #EndSARS protests in Lagos, has renewed her demand for the release of her son’s remains, six years after his disappearance, after DNA testing confirmed that the body recovered from an Ikorodu mortuary is his.
Pelumi was last seen in October 2020 during a live‑streamed coverage of the protests. Witnesses allege that operatives of the [Lagos State Police Task Force](https://lspolice.gov.ng/) shot him and seized his body while attempting to disperse demonstrators. His family launched an extensive search, which led them to an unidentified corpse registered as number 1385 at a government hospital mortuary in Ikorodu.
In 2024, the [Federal High Court](https://judiciary.gov.ng/) in Lagos ordered an investigation after Media Rights Agenda filed a suit seeking answers about the journalist’s fate. A coroner’s inquest was subsequently held to verify the identity of the body. DNA analysis completed in 2026 confirmed the remains belonged to Pelumi, yet the court has yet to order the release of the body to his family.
"Don’t I have a right to demand my son’s remains, even if they say he is dead? What do I tell my God? Do I tell Him that I cannot account for the son He gave me?" Bosede Onifade told Daily Trust, expressing the anguish of not being able to bury her child after six years.
**What happened to Pelumi Onifade?**
Pelumi Onifade was a reporter for Gboah TV. While covering the #EndSARS demonstrations, he allegedly fell victim to a police operation that involved live ammunition. His disappearance sparked a prolonged family‑led investigation that eventually located a body in a mortuary, later confirmed through DNA testing.
**How did the courts intervene?**
Following a petition by Media Rights Agenda, the Federal High Court mandated a formal inquiry into the circumstances of Pelumi’s death. The court’s order led to a coroner’s inquest and DNA verification, but it has not yet compelled the authorities to hand over the remains to the Onifade family.
**Why does the case matter for other #EndSARS families?**
Pelumi’s story mirrors the lingering trauma of many families whose relatives vanished or died during the 2020 protests. The lack of closure underscores ongoing concerns about police accountability and the effectiveness of reforms such as the replacement of SARS with the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit.
The #EndSARS movement began in October 2020 after years of complaints against the Special Anti‑Robbery Squad (SARS) for extortion, unlawful arrests, and extrajudicial killings. The protests peaked with the Lekki toll‑gate shooting on 20 October 2020, an incident the federal government initially denied. Subsequent investigations confirmed that protesters were indeed shot, though the state government disputed parts of the findings.
In the wake of the protests, the government disbanded SARS and created the SWAT team, a move that many activists view with skepticism. Human‑rights lawyer Onyeisi Chiemeke noted that there is insufficient publicly verified evidence to prove that SWAT has reduced police brutality, and that incidents of harassment and violence continue.
**Why did police use tear‑gas at the sixth‑anniversary gathering?**
On the anniversary of the #EndSARS protests, police deployed tear‑gas at the Lekki toll gate to disperse a crowd that included political candidates Funso Doherty (NDC) and Gbadebo Rhodes‑Vivour (ADC). The action forced the commemorators to flee, echoing similar crackdowns in October 2021 and 2024 when authorities again used tear‑gas to break up memorial processions.
Activists assert that the repeated use of force demonstrates the unfinished nature of the reforms promised after the 2020 demonstrations. They continue to call for full implementation of the judicial panel’s recommendations and for accountability for those responsible for the deaths and disappearances that occurred during the crackdown.
The Onifade family’s pursuit of justice remains a poignant reminder that, six years on, many questions about the #EndSARS era are still unanswered, and the demand for transparency and restitution persists across Nigeria.