The family of late Nigerian singer Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, has demanded the disclosure of the United States laboratory expected to conduct the DNA test to determine the paternity of his son, Liam, while requesting a postponement of the exercise scheduled for Saturday, October 31, 2026.
The family also wants clarification on the procedures for collecting, preserving and transporting the biological samples from Nigeria to the undisclosed laboratory in the United States.
The family head, Samuel Aloba, made the demands in a statement issued on Thursday, October 29, expressing concerns about the arrangements for the examination at Mainland General Hospital/IDH, Yaba, Lagos.
According to the statement, the family is questioning whether the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre, which it said was designated in a court order dated May 5, would conduct the examination or simply collect the samples and send them abroad for analysis.
The Alobas argued that any arrangement that differs from the directive in the court order should be explained to the parties involved and, where necessary, referred to the court for clarification.
Among other demands, the family requested the full name and address of the proposed American laboratory, evidence of its accreditation and technical competence, and details of the scientific procedures it would use.
It also sought assurances that proper safeguards would be put in place to ensure that the samples collected in Lagos were securely preserved, transported and matched with those eventually received and analysed by the foreign laboratory.
The family further questioned reports that the identity of the laboratory might only be disclosed to the court, arguing that confidentiality should not prevent the parties from having sufficient information to assess the credibility of the testing process.
The statement maintained that the family was not attempting to frustrate the judicial process or prevent the DNA examination but wanted assurances that the result would be scientifically reliable and capable of independent verification.
“In a matter as sensitive as Mohbad’s DNA, the result must not merely be announced; it must be demonstrably reliable. The integrity of the process must be capable of independent verification, from the point of sample collection to the final laboratory report,” the statement read.
The Aloba family also raised questions about the handling of biological samples during the post-mortem examination conducted following Mohbad’s death.
It claimed that enquiries made by the family suggested that the laboratory to which samples from the earlier examination were reportedly sent had not received any specimen registered in the singer’s name.
However, the family acknowledged that the information came from its own enquiries and did not represent a court finding or independently established evidence of misconduct.
Reaffirming its support for a credible DNA examination to resolve the paternity dispute, the family asked the relevant authorities to address its concerns before proceeding with the scheduled exercise.
It requested that the test be postponed until the identity and credentials of the proposed laboratory were disclosed, the testing procedures clarified, and all parties and their legal representatives given adequate notice.
The family also called for further directions from the court where necessary to resolve any disagreement over the testing arrangements.
The paternity of Liam has remained a subject of dispute since Mohbad’s death in September 2023, involving the singer’s father, Joseph Aloba, and his widow, Omowunmi Aloba.
The disagreement has continued despite previous court proceedings and directives concerning the conduct of a DNA examination to establish the child’s biological paternity.
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