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The family of late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, has demanded the disclosure of the identity of a United States laboratory expected to conduct a DNA test to determine the paternity of Liam, the singer’s son.
The family also called for the postponement of the examination scheduled for Saturday, October 31, at the Mainland General Hospital/IDH, Yaba, Lagos, pending clarification of its concerns over transparency and compliance with a court order.
In a statement signed by the family head, Samuel Aloba, and sent to on Thursday, the family expressed concern over arrangements for the tissue-based DNA examination, particularly reports that samples would be collected in Lagos and sent to a laboratory in the US for analysis.
The family questioned whether the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, which it said was designated by a court order issued on May 5, 2026, would conduct the examination or merely collect and dispatch the samples abroad.
“This raises a fundamental question that must be answered before the exercise proceeds: Is the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre itself going to conduct the examination contemplated by the court, or is it merely going to collect and dispatch samples to another laboratory?” the statement read.
It added that the distinction was important because the parties were entitled to know how the court’s directive would be implemented.
“If the designated centre intends to rely on a foreign laboratory to conduct the analysis, the arrangement should be explained and, where necessary, presented to the court for clarification,” the family said.
The family argued that no institution or party should unilaterally introduce a materially different arrangement from the one contemplated by a subsisting court order without obtaining appropriate judicial clarification.
It also demanded the full name and address of the proposed overseas laboratory, evidence of its accreditation and technical competence, details of the testing procedure, and documentation showing how the samples would be collected, labelled, preserved, transported and examined.
The family further requested a mechanism to confirm that the samples collected in Lagos were the same ones received and analysed by the foreign laboratory.
It said it had been informed that the identity of the proposed overseas laboratory might only be disclosed to the court.
“The family recognises the importance of protecting legitimate confidential information, [but] confidentiality cannot be permitted to defeat the basic requirements of transparency, accountability and meaningful verification in a process whose outcome may have far-reaching legal and personal consequences,” the statement added.
The family maintained that its position was not intended to frustrate the judicial process or prevent a scientifically valid examination but to ensure that the outcome could withstand independent scrutiny.
It also expressed concern about possible interference, mishandling or manipulation if adequate safeguards were not established before the exercise.
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However, the family clarified that it was not alleging that the proposed test had already been compromised or that manipulation had been established.
“In a matter as sensitive as Mohbad’s DNA, the result must not merely be announced; it must be demonstrably reliable. The integrity of the process must be capable of independent verification, from the point of sample collection to the final laboratory report,” it said.
The family also linked its concerns to questions it had previously raised about the handling of biological samples during the post-mortem examination conducted in connection with Mohbad’s death.
It questioned the role of the pathologist involved in sample collection during the coroner’s inquest.
The family further claimed that information obtained through its enquiries indicated that the laboratory to which samples from the earlier process were purportedly sent had not received them or any specimen registered in the name of Ilerioluwa Promise Aloba.
It stressed that the claim represented its account of the matter and required clarification and verification, adding that it was not a court finding or independently established proof of wrongdoing by any individual or institution.
The family said it supported a credible DNA examination capable of resolving Liam’s paternity but insisted that the identity of the testing laboratory and the chain of custody of the samples must be established.
It urged the relevant authorities to address its concerns, provide the requested information and ensure that the examination complied with the court’s order and accepted forensic procedures.
The family consequently requested that Saturday’s exercise be postponed until the outstanding issues were clarified, adequate notice was given to all parties and their legal representatives, and further directions were obtained from the court where necessary.
It said its objective was not to predetermine the outcome of the examination but to ensure that the eventual result was based on a credible and properly documented process.
The family added that the public interest in establishing the truth should not be undermined by avoidable uncertainty or a lack of transparency.
Mohbad died at the age of 27 on September 12, 2023. Following his death, the Lagos State Police Command inaugurated a 13-member special investigation team to probe the circumstances surrounding his passing.
Earlier reports in 2024 indicated that Aloba, through his legal representatives, filed an application at the coroner’s court in Ikorodu to determine the cause of Mohbad’s death and later demanded a DNA test to resolve the paternity dispute.
