Ibrahim ‘Primeboy’ Owodunni, a close associate of late singer Mohbad, has staged a street protest against the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), calling for a public apology over what he described as gross violations of his fundamental human rights.
The demonstration, which took place on Wednesday, saw Primeboy joined by a handful of supporters as he took his grievances to the streets, marking a fresh phase in his prolonged legal tussle with the police.
The dispute dates back to October 4, 2023, when the Lagos State Police Command declared Primeboy wanted for allegedly failing to honour an invitation connected to the investigation into Mohbad’s death. He later turned himself in to the authorities the next day.
In October 2024, Primeboy filed a lawsuit against the police, arguing that the declaration and his subsequent treatment infringed on his “right to dignity and respect as a human being.” His latest protest is aimed at intensifying public pressure for redress.
Addressing journalists during the protest, Primeboy insisted that the police must apologise for what he endured, claiming the experience severely disrupted his life and career.
“I want the Nigerian police to say sorry to me because I really went through a lot. I was detained for good four months, so I came to court today because I sued the Nigerian police. My life has been really stagnant,” he said.
He further described his ordeal as life-threatening, adding that not everyone would have survived similar treatment.
“What they did to me if it was somebody else, you would not see him alive again. Because you cannot just leave the people that know about the matter walking freely and you would leave me damaged just like that.”
Primeboy also raised concerns about the continued delay in Mohbad’s burial, nearly three years after the singer’s death on September 12, 2023. He alleged that funds donated by the public for the burial had been misused by the late artiste’s family.
“Mohbad has not been buried, I want you guys to know that Mohbad has not been buried going to three years now. That is what I suffered for, you can see his family enjoying life right,” he said.
“Even the public came together to donate money for them to do the right thing, still they spent the money on themselves. Now that guy is still in the mortuary, please citizens, Nigerian government do the right thing.”
Since Mohbad’s passing, Primeboy has remained a key figure in the controversy surrounding the case, frequently entangled in legal disputes and public accusations. In October 2024, he threatened legal action against Mohbad’s mother over alleged defamatory statements linking him to a confrontation with the singer before his death. He also filed a petition in March 2024 against Omowunmi, Mohbad’s widow, accusing her of making false allegations.
Mohbad was initially buried a day after his death, but his body was later exhumed on September 21, 2023, for an autopsy at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
The post-mortem examination reportedly returned inconclusive results, prompting the family to reject the findings and commission an independent probe into the circumstances surrounding his death.
