The Lagos State Police Command has released musician and label owner, Azeez Fashola, popularly known by his stage name, Naira Marley, and music promoter, Samson Balogun, aka Sam Larry, from custody on Friday after meeting their bail conditions.
They had been in custody over September’s mysterious death of rapper, musician and songwriter, Ilerioluwa Aloba.
Aloba is also popularly known as Mohbad and Imole.
The Command’s spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the release of Naira Marley and Sam Larry in a statement he issued on Friday in Ikeja.
Naira Marley, Sam Larry and two others were arraigned before a Yaba Magistrate’s Court on October 6, 2023 over their alleged involvement in the death of Mohbad and were remanded in police custody.
The court granted them bail on November 6 in the sum of N20 million with three responsible sureties in like sum.
The Magistrate, Adeola Olatunbosun, ruled that the defendants should submit their international passports and report weekly to the State Criminal Investigation Department at Panti, Yaba.
Hundeyin, a Superintendent of Police, said in the statement on Friday: “Naira Marley and Sammy Larry, having met their bail conditions, have been released from custody.”
Born in Lagos on January 3, 1996, Mohbad died in mysterious circumstances on September 12, 2023 and was buried the following day.
His death sparked nationwide protests, causing the Lagos State Government to order the exhumation of the body for a coroner’s inquest.
Mohbad was said to have attended a concert at Ikorodu, Lagos State on September 10, 2023, where he sustained injuries in a fracas.
Among those the police questioned over his death were the late singer’s father, mother, sisters, brother, friends, wife and manager.
The police also invited a childhood friend of Mohbad, Ibrahim Owodunni, also known as Primeboy, for questioning.
Police detained Naira Marley and Sam Larry over their alleged roles in the singer’s death as they were reported to have been bullying the rapper.
Mohbad was formerly signed to Naira Marley’s Marlian Records, but left the label in 2022.
Addressing a news conference in Ikeja on October 5, 2023 on preliminary findings on Mohbad’s death, The Commissioner, Lagos State Police Command, Idowu Owohunwa, named an auxiliary nurse, Feyisayo Ogedengbe, as the prime suspect.
Ogedengbe was reported to have injected the deceased thrice in his home on September 12 before he started vomiting and developing goose bumps.
Owohunwa, now an Assistant Inspector General of Police, said 26 persons had been interviewed concerning Mohbad’s death.
According to Owohunwa, Mohbad was taken to the hospital lifeless and was declared dead on September 12 by the attending physicians.
He said the auxiliary nurse was called to inject the singer at his home by Mohbad’s friend, Ayobami Isiaka, aka Spending.
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Ogedengbe gave the singer three injections that were believed to have resulted in a series of events that led to his death, the Commissioner said.
He said that Primeboy and Mohbad went to the concert together on September 10 and they engaged in a violent altercation after the show.
The ensuing fight from the altercation caused harm to the late singer.
“The management of the injury subsequently resulted in his death,” Owohunwa said.
