By Stephen Simon
Nearly six years after the #EndSARS protests rocked Nigeria, the family of journalism intern Pelumi Onifade says it is still waiting for justice, insisting that those responsible for his death must be held accountable despite the recent identification of his remains through DNA testing.
Onifade, a 20-year-old student journalist, disappeared on October 24, 2020, while covering the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests in Lagos. His family searched desperately for weeks, visiting police stations, hospitals and correctional facilities, but found no trace of him. In 2021, a Lagos coroner’s inquest heard evidence suggesting that his body had been deposited in a public mortuary without his family’s knowledge.
After years of uncertainty, DNA tests ordered during the coroner’s proceedings confirmed in 2026 that the remains recovered from the mortuary were those of Onifade. While the identification brought an end to the agonising search, it also reopened painful questions about the circumstances surrounding his death and why it took so long for his family to learn his fate.
Speaking on the latest development, members of the family said the confirmation had offered some closure but not justice. They lamented that they are yet to receive the remains for a proper burial and urged the authorities to ensure that those responsible for the young journalist’s death are identified and prosecuted.
Media rights advocates and civil society organisations have also renewed calls for accountability, describing Onifade’s death as a stark reminder of the dangers journalists face while covering protests and other public-interest events. They stressed the need for stronger protections for media practitioners and greater transparency in investigations involving alleged human rights violations.
The #EndSARS protests, which began as a movement against police brutality, evolved into one of the largest youth-led demonstrations in Nigeria’s history. Although several judicial panels of inquiry were established across the country, many families affected by the protests say they are still awaiting justice and the implementation of key recommendations made by the panels.
For the Onifade family, the DNA confirmation marks the end of a painful search but not the end of their quest for justice. As Nigeria reflects on the legacy of the #EndSARS movement, the case continues to underscore the importance of accountability, the protection of journalists and respect for the rule of law in a democratic society.
