A Lagos High Court in Ikeja has struck out the application filed by Euracare Multi‑Specialist Hospital, which sought to halt the coroner’s inquest into the death of 21‑month‑old Nkanu Ezege, son of celebrated author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The hospital argued that because Nkanu’s body had been cremated, there would be no corpse available for a post‑mortem, claiming this deprived the coroner of jurisdiction.
Justice Aishat Opesanwo rejected the argument, ruling that an inquest is mandatory by law and the absence of a body does not invalidate the process. The court emphasized that a coroner’s inquest is a fact‑finding exercise, not a criminal trial, and is meant to establish who died, how, when, and where the death occurred. Nkanu died on January 7, 2026, after receiving medical attention at Euracare Hospital.
