Afrobeats star Naira Marley has been taken into custody in the special investigation opened in September to elucidate the circumstances of Nigerian singer Mohbad’s death, the Lagos State police announced on Tuesday evening on the network social

“Azeez Fashola aka Naira Marley has been taken into custody for questioning,” wrote Nigeria’s Lagos State police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, adding the hashtag #JusticeforMohbad.

A few minutes earlier, Naira Marley had announced on the same social network (where he is followed by nearly 5 million people) “having returned to Lagos to help the authorities carry out the ongoing investigation”. “It is important for me to play a role in the Imole affair (Mohbad’s nickname, Editor’s note). I will meet the police in the hope that the truth will be revealed and justice will prevail,” he added.

Mohbad, whose real name is Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, author of hit songs such as Feel good, died in Lagos on September 12 at the age of 27, in circumstances that remain unclear and a special investigation was opened. His death caused great emotion in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa where the singer is very popular, but also because numerous testimonies from fans and those close to him claimed that he had been harassed and physically threatened for years. months by figures from the powerful music industry.

Mohbad’s career took off in 2019, after signing his contract with famous rapper Naira Marley’s powerful record label “Marlian music”. But their collaboration ended in 2022 after strong tensions.

In recent days, many fans have accused the rapper and his teams of being involved in Mohbad’s death, notably through an online petition which has gathered more than 250,000 signatories. These accusations were brushed aside in several press releases by Naira Marley who said he was devastated by the death of “a brother” and a “friend” while he was abroad.