Dr. Pedro Obaseki, the former Managing Director of Daar Communications and a prominent kinsman of the erstwhile Governor Godwin Obaseki, has formally petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, following a harrowing ordeal involving alleged abduction, brutal physical assault, and unlawful detention in the heart of Edo State.
The petition, which outlines a series of grave human rights violations, details an incident occurring on Sunday in Benin City that Dr. Obaseki describes as an affront to the rule of law and human dignity.
According to the official complaint, the ordeal commenced at approximately 11:30 am while Dr. Obaseki was engaged in a recreational football match at Uwa Primary School on Igbesanmwan Street. The peaceful morning was shattered when a group of men some reportedly armed descended upon the venue.
Dr. Obaseki identified the ringleaders of his assailants as Kapuepue Adun, Osayande Obakhavbaye, Osamede Nomoless Eriyo, and an individual known colloquially as “Sales Guy.” The petition alleges that these individuals forcibly abducted the media executive, subjecting him to a level of public ignominy seldom seen in modern civil society.
The narrative provided to the IGP paints a chilling picture of lawlessness. Dr. Obaseki asserts that he was systematically beaten, stripped of his raiment, and paraded naked through the arterial roads of Benin City for a distance of roughly five kilometres. The procession reportedly passed significant landmarks, including the Holy Aruosa Church, as his captors allegedly labelled him an ‘Oghionba’ an enemy of the Monarch.
Furthermore, the petition claims that the abductors justified their actions by stating they were operating under the direct instructions of the Palace. The victim was eventually taken to the Oba Market Police Station, where he was detained for five hours.
Most concerningly, the petition alleges a failure in police neutrality; Dr. Obaseki claims that the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, informed him that his release was contingent upon “clearance” from the Palace, suggesting a breach of the constitutional independence of the Nigeria Police Force.
Dr. Obaseki’s legal representatives argue that these actions constitute a profound violation of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Police Act, and various international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory.
The petition demands:
- An immediate and independent investigation into the conduct of the named individuals.
- A thorough review of the role played by law enforcement officers during the detention.
- The commencement of criminal and civil proceedings against those found to have orchestrated or participated in the assault.
As of the time of this report, the Force Headquarters has yet to issue an official statement regarding the petition, though the nature of the allegations has already sparked significant discourse regarding the intersection of traditional authority and the constitutional rights of the Nigerian citizen.
