Dr. Pedro Obaseki, a cousin of the immediate past governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has announced his decision to seek legal redress following what he described as his brutal public abduction, violent assault and extra-judicial humiliation.
Pedro Obaseki was reportedly attacked by suspected thugs on December 28, 2025, at Uwa Primary School in Benin City, where he had gone to play football.
According to his account, he was dragged from the school premises to the palace of the Oba of Benin, where he was allegedly forced to crawl before some chiefs later arrived at the scene.
In a video of the incident that later went viral, suspected thugs were heard shouting “Oghion (enemy) Oba.”
In a press statement, Pedro Obaseki said the decision to approach the court was taken after 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 motives, but by the need for accountability, deterrence and the protection of human dignity.
Pedro Obaseki insisted that he was forcibly seized in public by armed men in what he described as a brazen daylight operation designed to instil fear in the wider population.
He said he was beaten, stripped naked, threatened with death and paraded along major roads in Benin City, while his ordeal was recorded and live-streamed by his attackers.
Dr. Obaseki described the incident as a grave violation of his fundamental rights, adding that the acts 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 fear beyond the immediate victim.
However, he confirmed that this claim 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 acts.
Pedro 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 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 broader implications for public safety and the rule of law, Pedro Obaseki also confirmed that he has formally notified and is engaging international human rights bodies and partners.
