The family of late Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, has demanded the disclosure of the identity of a United States laboratory expected to analyse biological samples for a DNA test intended to establish the paternity of his son, Liam, raising concerns about transparency and compliance with existing court directives.
In a statement issued on Thursday, October 29, 2026, and signed by family head Samuel Aloba, the family called for the postponement of the examination scheduled for Saturday, October 31, at Mainland General Hospital, Yaba, Lagos. It insisted that outstanding questions concerning laboratory accreditation, sample handling and judicial authorisation must be resolved before testing proceeds.
The family questioned whether the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, which it said was designated under a May 5 court order, would conduct the examination itself or merely collect biological specimens for shipment to an overseas facility.
According to the statement, the distinction is important because the family believes any significant departure from arrangements specified by the court should receive appropriate judicial clarification.
The Alobas requested the full name and address of the proposed American laboratory, evidence of its accreditation and technical competence, and detailed information about the procedures for collecting, preserving, transporting and analysing the samples.
They also demanded safeguards to establish that specimens collected in Lagos would be the same materials eventually received and examined by the foreign laboratory.
The family maintained that reliable documentation was essential because the examination could have significant legal and personal consequences for those involved.
“In a matter as sensitive as Mohbad’s DNA, the result must not merely be announced; it must be demonstrably reliable,” the statement said.
The family further insisted that the entire process should be capable of independent verification, from the initial collection of biological material to the final laboratory report.
Its concerns extended to reports that the identity of the proposed overseas laboratory might be disclosed exclusively to the court rather than to all parties involved in the proceedings.
While acknowledging the importance of protecting legitimately confidential information, the family argued that confidentiality should not prevent meaningful scrutiny of the testing arrangements.
The statement also expressed apprehension about possible interference, mishandling or manipulation if adequate safeguards were not established.
However, the family expressly clarified that it was not alleging that the proposed examination had already been compromised or that wrongdoing had been established.
It said its intervention was intended to protect the credibility of the process rather than obstruct the determination of Liam's paternity.
The family consequently requested that the examination be delayed until the relevant authorities provide the outstanding information, ensure adequate notice to the parties and obtain further court directions where necessary.
The latest disagreement represents another development in the prolonged legal controversy surrounding Mohbad's death and questions raised by his father, Joseph Aloba, about the paternity of Liam.
Mohbad died on September 12, 2023, at the age of 27, prompting widespread public concern and demands for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
The Lagos State Police Command subsequently established a 13-member special investigation team, while proceedings before a coroner examined evidence relating to the singer's final days and medical treatment.
Separate from the investigation into his death, a dispute emerged concerning the paternity of Liam, whose mother is Mohbad's widow, Omowunmi Aloba, commonly known as Wunmi.
Joseph Aloba repeatedly sought a DNA examination, maintaining that scientific testing was necessary to resolve the matter conclusively.
The controversy subsequently became the subject of court proceedings in Ikorodu, Lagos State, involving competing proposals about suitable laboratories and procedures.
In February 2026, an Ikorodu Magistrates' Court approved three overseas laboratories for DNA testing, including facilities in the United States and the United Kingdom.
The laboratories identified in earlier proceedings included DNA Diagnostics Centre in Fairfield, Ohio; AlphaBiolabs in Warrington, England; and Advanced Histopathology Laboratory Limited in London.
However, the existence of those earlier approvals does not independently establish which American laboratory is intended to receive the samples under the arrangements now being questioned.
In March, the family's lawyer, Oladayo Ogungbe, disclosed concerns about the technical capabilities of some previously approved laboratories.
He said enquiries indicated that two facilities did not perform the particular post-mortem DNA analysis required for biological samples associated with embalmed remains.
The lawyer maintained that those findings raised practical questions about whether the proposed facilities could carry out the examination reliably.
He also indicated that relevant correspondence had been submitted to the court to explain the family's concerns.
The dispute continued into October, when proceedings were adjourned until November 16, 2026, following further disagreements over the proposed testing arrangements.
At that stage, Ogungbe explained that the family wanted clarification about the role of the Lagos testing centre and whether samples would be forwarded to another institution.
The appointment of a new welfare officer was also reported during the proceedings, with the family's representatives indicating that discussions had taken place concerning the disputed arrangements.
The latest statement demonstrates that those discussions have not fully resolved the family's objections.
The disagreement highlights the importance of chain-of-custody procedures in forensic examinations, particularly when biological materials are collected in one country and analysed in another.
Such procedures ordinarily involve documenting who collected a sample, how it was labelled, where it was stored, who handled it during transportation and which laboratory ultimately examined it.
Accurate records can help establish whether the material analysed corresponds to the specimen originally collected.
Laboratory accreditation and technical competence are also important considerations because different facilities may specialise in different forms of genetic analysis.
Testing biological material obtained after death can involve technical challenges distinct from those associated with routine paternity examinations using samples from living individuals.
However, questions about laboratory capability or documentation do not, by themselves, demonstrate that a proposed examination is unreliable.
The family has also referred to concerns it previously raised about the handling of biological samples during examinations connected to Mohbad's death.
It claimed that enquiries concerning an earlier laboratory arrangement produced discrepancies about whether particular specimens had been received.
Those assertions remain the family's account and have not been established as findings of misconduct by a court or independent investigation.
The latest statement did not provide a confirmed DNA result establishing or excluding Mohbad's paternity of Liam.
It also did not establish that the scheduled October 31 examination had been formally postponed by judicial order.
Any change to the timetable would require confirmation from the court or the authorities responsible for implementing its directions.
For the Aloba family, the immediate demand is that the proposed testing institution and procedures be disclosed before the examination proceeds.
For the other parties involved, the continuing proceedings provide an opportunity to address disputed arrangements through the appropriate legal process.
The wider public interest lies in ensuring that scientific evidence is obtained lawfully, examined competently and interpreted without prejudging the outcome.
As the controversy continues, the family maintains that a credible DNA test remains necessary but insists that transparency must accompany every stage of the process.
The court's subsequent directions will be important in determining whether the examination proceeds as scheduled and how the outstanding concerns are resolved.
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