Lagos C0roner Stops Inquest On Chimamanda’s Son Over Attorney General’s Intervention
Lagos Coroner Stops Inquest On Chimamanda’s Son Over Attorney General’s Intervention
The decision came after a tense exchange in court over last-minute developments initiated by the Attorney General’s office.
A legal standoff between the Lagos State Attorney General’s office and the coroner’s court has forced an abrupt halt to proceedings in the inquest into the death of 21-month-old Master Nkanu Adichie-Esege, introducing fresh uncertainty into a case already under intense public scrutiny.
At the JIC Taylor Courthouse on Lagos Island, the presiding coroner, Magistrate Atinuke Adetunji, announced the suspension of the inquest, citing the need to await further direction from the Chief Coroner, Justice Mojisola Dada.
The decision came after a tense exchange in court over last-minute developments initiated by the Attorney General’s office.
The disruption stemmed from a request conveyed to the court by Adebola Araba, a counsel representing the Attorney General. He informed the court that the Attorney General had scheduled a meeting with all parties involved and wanted the day’s proceedings halted.
“I have been directed to inform the court that a meeting between the AG of Lagos State and all counsel appearing in this matter has been fixed for May 12, 2026.
“We urge the court to suspend the hearing of today and fix another hearing after the meeting with the AG,” Araba said.
However, the request immediately raised concerns among lawyers representing various parties, particularly over the timing and communication of the directive.
Counsel to the deceased child’s parents, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Adeyinka Aderemi, told the court that the development disrupted previously agreed arrangements. He explained that his team had received earlier communication suggesting the meeting would take place later the same day, after the scheduled court session.
“I confirm that a letter, dated April 23, 2026, signed by one Olamide Ibrahim from the AG’s office, was served on us. However, the meeting was fixed for today by 2 pm; however, it was last night that it was changed to May 12, 2026, and we believed that the hearing would go on today, after which we would thereafter go for the meeting by 2 pm, especially as the parents are not going to be around because they are leaving by Friday.”
Magistrate Adetunji questioned why the Attorney General’s office communicated directly with counsel without formally notifying the court, a move that appeared to sideline judicial authority in the ongoing inquest. In response, Araba said he had no prior knowledge of the earlier correspondence and was only acting on fresh instructions.
Other counsel in the matter confirmed receiving multiple communications from the Attorney General’s office, adding to the confusion. Abiodun Layanu (SAN), representing Atlantis Paediatric Hospital, and Taiwo Osiptan (SAN), counsel to Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, both acknowledged receiving letters dated April 23 and May 4, 2026, indicating changes to the meeting schedule.
Despite the disagreement, Layanu noted that all parties would ultimately abide by the court’s directive.
The most pointed objection came from Aderemi, who accused the Attorney General’s office of undermining the process and failing to prioritise the interests of the bereaved family.
“The letter has just truncated the hearing of today. The interest of the parents of the deceased is not being carried along. If the AG is sincere, he should be up and doing. If there is restorative justice, he should have called the meeting before now”.
“The father of the deceased is in court today and has sworn to a statement on oath. I thought the court would have heard it today.”
Following submissions from all parties, Magistrate Adetunji ruled to suspend further proceedings, effectively pausing what has become a closely watched inquest.
The inquiry, which began on February 25, 2026, is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Master Nkanu, the son of acclaimed author Chimamanda Adichie and her husband, Ivara Esege.
According to details presented before the court, the child was first admitted to Atlantis Paediatric Hospital in Lagos with what was described as a worsening but initially mild illness. As his condition escalated, he was referred to Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital on January 6, 2026, for urgent pre-flight medical procedures, including an MRI scan, lumbar puncture, and the insertion of a central line, in preparation for a planned transfer to Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States.
Tragically, the child died following the procedures at Euracare, prompting calls for a full inquest into the circumstances of his death.
With proceedings now halted pending further directives, uncertainty surrounds the timeline for the continuation of the inquest, even as legal tensions between the court and the Attorney General’s office add a new layer of complexity to the case.
