Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
A prominent Edo indigene, Dr Pedro Agbonifo Obaseki, has announced plans to seek legal redress over what he described as his public abduction, assault and extra-judicial humiliation in Benin City on December 28, 2025.
In a strongly worded press statement, Dr Obaseki said the decision followed extensive consultations with his wife and children, members of the Obaseki family and clan, senior legal advisers and respected elders.
He stressed that the move was not driven by revenge or political considerations, but by the need to ensure accountability, deter future abuses and uphold human dignity.
According to the statement, Dr Obaseki was forcibly seized in public by armed men in a daylight operation which he said was intended to instil fear within the wider population.
He was allegedly assaulted, stripped naked, threatened with death and paraded along major roads in Benin City, while the incident was reportedly recorded and live-streamed by his attackers.
He further alleged that he was detained for several hours without any disclosed allegation or lawful charge, despite sustaining injuries.
Dr Obaseki described the incident as a grave violation of his fundamental human rights, adding that the acts amounted to terrorism-related violence under Nigerian law.
He cited the use of armed force, explicit threats to life, public intimidation and the deliberate creation of fear beyond the immediate victim.
He disclosed that during the incident, his abductors claimed they were acting on the instructions of the Oba of Benin or the Oba’s Palace.
However, he confirmed that this assertion had been formally and expressly refuted by the Benin Traditional Council, which issued a widely publicised letter categorically denying any involvement, authorisation or prior knowledge of the incident.
Dr Obaseki said he welcomed and accepted the clarification as the official position of the Palace and noted it as part of the public record.
He emphasised that the legal actions being pursued are directed solely at the individual perpetrators and any persons who may be found, through due process, to have aided, facilitated or enabled the alleged offences, whether through direct action, impersonation of authority, abuse of office or omission.
To pursue the case, Dr Obaseki disclosed that he has consulted with renowned human-rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, who will serve as lead counsel.
He said both civil and criminal proceedings would be pursued concurrently, in line with Nigerian and international law and with full respect for the presumption of innocence.
Given the seriousness of the allegations and their wider implications for public safety and the rule of law, Dr Obaseki also confirmed that he has formally notified and is engaging international human-rights bodies and partners.
He said this was to ensure independent oversight, transparency and proper monitoring of investigations and judicial processes, in keeping with Nigeria’s constitutional obligations and international commitments.
Dr Obaseki stated that the action was aimed not only at restoring his personal dignity and protecting his family, but also at sending a clear message that no individual or group has the right to abduct, brutalise or publicly dehumanise any citizen outside the law.
He added that, out of respect for ongoing investigations and court proceedings, he would refrain from making further factual or evidentiary comments at this stage.
