ShowbizWorld Naira Marley taken into police custody over MohBad’s death

Naira Marley has been arrested in connection with MohBad's killing.
By BBC -October 4, 20230

Naira Marley says he hopes the truth regarding MohBad's death will be revealed.
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Nigerian police have detained Afrobeats musician Naira Marley for interrogation in connection with the death of another performer.

MohBad's strange death sparked an outpouring of grief among his followers, who requested a thorough investigation.

Outrage was addressed towards Marley, with whom he had a falling out after leaving the musician's label, Marlian Records.

Marley, who earlier denied any involvement in MohBad's death, said he had returned from Europe to assist with the probe.

"It's important that I do my part for Imole," Marley remarked, referring to MohBad's other name.

"I'll be meeting with the police with hopes for the truth to be uncovered and for justice to prevail," he said on X on Tuesday.

MohBad, 27, died in a hospital in the Nigerian metropolis of Lagos last month, but the cause of death remains unknown.

Last Monday, police announced that they had taken concert promoter Sam Larry into custody and that he was cooperating them in their investigations. There were no other details provided.

MohBad, whose actual name was Ilerioluwa Aloba, was buried swiftly by his family a day after his death, causing alarm among his followers.

According to MohBad's father, Joseph Aloba, the family's Yoruba ethnic group dictated the rapid burial.

According to Yoruba custom, a deceased individual with living parents must be buried as soon as possible.

Police exhumed MohBad's body for an autopsy, but the results have yet to be disclosed. A coroner's inquest is set to resume on October 13.

Marley was brought into jail "for interrogation and other investigation activities," said Lagos state police spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin on Tuesday.

Marley and MohBad had a violent feud last year after MohBad departed Marley's Marlian Records music label, where he had been signed for three years.

Since his death, multiple videos have surfaced in which MohBad alleged that label employees had harassed and deceived him out of royalties.

Marley called the charges "lies" and stated that he "had no hand in the death of MohBad, either directly or indirectly."

Last week, a tribute concert to MohBad was performed at a park on Lagos's Victoria Island, following which fans marched to the Lekki toll gate to continue their vigil.

Many of the mourners wore white T-shirts and held candles or mobile phone torches aloft as they danced to the late artist's songs, which were beloved for their streetwise, sometimes obscene, lyrics and distinctive baritone voice.

The hashtag justiceformohbad has been trending on social media. Protests have been place in towns across southern Nigeria, with his supporters demanding to know how he died, forcing the Lagos state governor to launch an investigation with the country's secret police.