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A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has dismissed an application by Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital seeking to stop a coroner’s inquest into the death of Nkanu Esege, the 21-month-old son of author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her husband, Ivara Esege.
Justice Aishat Opesanwo delivered the ruling on Monday, striking out the hospital’s originating motion for writs of Certiorari and Prohibition. She held that the suit was based on a misunderstanding of the purpose, jurisdiction and procedures of a coroner’s court.
The judge ruled that Section 15(2) of the Lagos State Coroner’s System Law 2007 makes an inquest compulsory where a death in custody occurs within a medical facility.
She also rejected the hospital’s argument that the cremation of the child’s body and its absence from the proceedings deprived the coroner of jurisdiction.
According to her, the relevant factor is where the death occurred, not whether the body is available during the inquest.
Justice Opesanwo explained that a coroner’s inquest is intended to establish the circumstances of a death, including who died, how and when the death occurred, and where it happened. She stressed that the process is not a criminal or civil trial designed to determine liability or punish any party.
Nkanu died at Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital in Lagos on January 7, 2026. Following his death, his parents accused the hospital of medical negligence, alleging that an excessive dose of sedatives and a failure to provide oxygen led to his cardiac arrest.
Euracare, however, maintained that the child arrived at the facility in critical condition and received treatment in line with standard medical protocols.
After the Lagos State Government initiated an inquest to investigate the circumstances surrounding the toddler’s death, the hospital approached the High Court to challenge the proceedings.
The hospital argued that an inquest conducted without the body being available for a post-mortem examination risked producing speculative findings and wasting public resources. It also contended that requiring its medical personnel to give evidence first infringed its right to a fair hearing under Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution.
In response, Justice Opesanwo said a coroner’s court does not follow the strict evidentiary rules and conventional trial procedures that apply to civil and criminal cases.
She noted that there is no claimant, prosecution or defence in a coroner’s court because no party is on trial. Instead, the process is focused on gathering facts to determine the circumstances of a death.
The judge further held that the coroner has statutory discretion to determine the order in which witnesses testify and evidence is presented. She added that judicial review cannot be used to prematurely terminate an inquiry required by state law.
With the hospital’s application dismissed, the coroner’s inquest into Nkanu’s death can proceed.
