Nigerian singer Abdulazeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, has broken his silence following a Lagos State Magistrate Court ruling that exonerated him and others from allegations surrounding the death of the late singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, better known as Mohbad.
Taking to his social media platform X on Wednesday, Naira Marley expressed his pain and disappointment over being blamed for Mohbad’s death. “I never thought silence could be so loud. I never thought someone I called my brother, someone I protected, would leave this world with my name in his shadow. I have carried this weight, this pain, this shame that was never mine to bear,” he wrote.
He further stated that while he and Mohbad had their differences, they had made peace before the late singer’s death, accusing unnamed individuals of allowing public sentiment to turn against him. “You let them tear me apart. You let them call me a killer while you sat there, knowing the truth. Now you tell the story?” he continued.
Naira Marley, who was arrested alongside music promoter Samson Balogun Eletu, aka Sam Larry, and Owodunni Ibrahim, alias Primeboy, lamented that he had been subjected to public disgrace and incarceration, while those who knew the truth remained silent. “You never thought I would survive. You never thought I would walk through the fire and face my people, maybe you hoped I would stay a fugitive. Instead, I stood before the justice system, spent time in jail, and faced everything head-on while you changed the story, again and again,” he said.
The Lagos State Magistrate Court sitting in Sabo, Yaba, on Tuesday, dismissed all allegations against Naira Marley, Sam Larry, and Primeboy, citing legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) in Lagos, which stated that they had no case to answer regarding Mohbad’s death. Also cleared of criminal liability was Mohbad’s former manager, Opere Babatunde.
However, the DPP confirmed that the auxiliary nurse who treated Mohbad before his death, Feyisayo Ogedengbe, and one of the late singer’s friends, Ayobami Sadiq, would face prosecution for reckless and negligent acts contrary to Section 251 (e) of the Lagos State Criminal Law, 2015. Their trial is expected to take place at the Magistrate Court.
Mohbad’s death on September 12, 2023, triggered massive protests and widespread calls for justice, with suspicions of foul play directed at multiple figures, including Naira Marley and Sam Larry. Viral videos and social media testimonies alleged that the late singer suffered harassment and intimidation before his untimely passing.
The ruling exonerating the trio has sparked fresh concerns over whether justice is truly being served, with many questioning why only the auxiliary nurse and a close friend of Mohbad are facing prosecution. As public reactions continue to pour in, Naira Marley has vowed that the truth will ultimately prevail. “The truth does not shake. The lies will fade, and time will reveal everything,” he wrote.