Dr. Pedro Obaseki, a cousin of former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, has announced his decision to seek legal redress over what he described as his abduction, violent assault and public humiliation in Benin City, Edo State.
Gatekeepers News reports that Obaseki was reportedly attacked on December 28, 2025, by suspected thugs at Uwa Primary School, where he had gone to play football. He alleged that he was forcibly dragged from the school premises to the palace of the Oba of Benin, where he was compelled to crawl before some chiefs later arrived at the scene.
A video of the incident, which later went viral on social media, showed suspected attackers chanting “Oghion (enemy) Oba.”
In a press statement, Obaseki said his decision to approach the court 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 legal action was not motivated by revenge or political considerations but by the need for accountability, deterrence and the protection of human dignity.
According to him, he was seized in public by armed men in what he described as a brazen daylight operation intended to instil fear beyond the immediate victim.
He alleged that he was beaten, stripped naked, threatened with death and paraded along major roads in Benin City, while the incident was recorded and live-streamed by his attackers.
Dr. Obaseki described the episode as a gross violation of his fundamental human rights, adding that the actions amounted to terrorism-related violence under Nigerian law, citing the use of armed force, explicit threats to life, public intimidation and the deliberate creation of widespread fear.
However, he acknowledged that the Benin Traditional Council had formally denied any involvement, authorisation or prior knowledge of the incident in a widely publicised letter.
Obaseki said he welcomed and accepted the clarification as the official position of the palace and noted it as part of the public record.
To pursue the matter, he disclosed that he had engaged renowned human rights lawyer Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, who will serve as lead counsel.
He added that both civil and criminal proceedings would be pursued concurrently in accordance with Nigerian and international law, with full respect for the presumption of innocence.
Given the gravity of the allegations and their wider implications for public safety and the rule of law, Obaseki also confirmed that he has formally notified and is engaging international human rights bodies and partners.
