Don Pedro Obaseki, a cousin of former Edo State governor Godwin Obaseki, has recounted a harrowing ordeal in which he was allegedly abducted, assaulted, and publicly humiliated by men he described as political thugs.
Speaking in a video broadcast by Africa Independent Television on Sunday, Obaseki said the incident happened at about 11:30 a.m. while he was playing football with members of the Uwa All Stars at Uwa Primary School in Benin City.
According to him, the attackers—some of whom were armed—stormed the area, seized him, and forcefully dragged him through several streets. He claimed they insisted they were acting on directives from the Oba of Benin’s Palace.
“I was abducted in broad daylight, some of them carrying guns,” Obaseki said. “They claimed they had been sent by the palace. I asked them to identify themselves, but they couldn’t. Instead, I was beaten, manhandled, and dragged through Igbisawan Street to Akpakpava, then to Ring Road.”
He alleged that during the ordeal, he was stripped naked in public and taken to the Oba’s palace, where he was expected to kneel before onlookers. Obaseki described the experience as deeply degrading, saying it left him emotionally shaken.
“I have never felt so humiliated in my life,” he said. “I am Benin by birth and identity, and this experience cut very deeply.”
Obaseki further stated that he was eventually taken to a police station along Oba Market Road. He said the situation only de-escalated after the Commissioner of Police intervened and ordered his release.
Explaining what he was told was the reason for his treatment, Obaseki claimed the issue stemmed from a public remark he made in London. According to him, he had said, “May Edo people live long and prosper,” a statement he was later told should have been directed exclusively to the Oba of Benin.
“I was told that my offence was wishing Edo people well, instead of saying ‘May the Oba live long and prosper,’” he said. “They said this was considered a serious violation in Benin.”
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Visibly distressed, Obaseki added that the incident had left him traumatised, especially given his long-standing involvement in promoting Benin culture through his decades-long contributions to Nigeria’s film industry.
