A cousin to former Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, Don Pedro Obaseki, on Sunday, announced his decision to seek legal redress following his alleged harassment on December 28 in Benin City.

In a statement, Obaseki said the decision 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.

According to the statement, Obaseki was forcibly seized in public by armed men in what he described as a brazen daylight operation allegedly designed to instil fear in the wider population.

He said that on December 28, suspected thugs seized and stripped him naked at Uwa Primary School, where he had gone to play football. The incident was captured in a viral video.

Obaseki said he was taken to the palace and made to kneel at the gate, adding that the suspected thugs told palace guards that they had brought in an Oghion (enemy) of the Oba.

However, some palace chiefs reportedly said there was no need for trouble, stating that anyone who considered himself an enemy of the Oba should be left alone. Despite protests from the suspected thugs, the chiefs later took him in.

He was subsequently detained for several hours without any disclosed allegation or lawful charge, despite sustaining injuries.

Describing the incident as a grave violation of his fundamental rights, Obaseki said 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.

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 the 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.

Obaseki 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, he also confirmed that he had formally notified and was engaging international human-rights bodies and partners.

“This is to announce my decision to seek redress in court following my harassment on December 28 in Benin,” he said.

"The step is aimed at ensuring independent oversight, transparency and proper monitoring of investigations and judicial processes, in line with Nigeria’s constitutional obligations and international commitments.

“My action is not only to restore my personal dignity and protect my family, but also to send a clear message that no individual or group has the right to abduct, brutalise or publicly dehumanise any citizen outside the law.

"Out of respect for ongoing investigations and court proceedings, I will make no further factual or evidentiary comments at this stage,” he said.

He said he welcomed and accepted the clarification issued by the Benin Traditional Council as the official position of the Palace and noted it as part of the public record.

Obaseki emphasised that the legal actions underway are directed strictly at the individual perpetrators and any persons who may be found, through due process, to have aided, facilitated or enabled the offences, whether through direct action, impersonation of authority, abuse of office or omission.

To pursue the matter, he disclosed that he had consulted renowned human-rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, who will serve as lead counsel. (The PUNCH)

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