Why I’m taking those who humiliated me to court – Pedro Obaseki
Dr. Don Pedro Obaseki
Dr. Pedro Obaseki has offered reasons why he decided to seek justice through the courts following what he described as his brutal public abduction, violent assault and extra-judicial humiliation in Benin City on December 28, 2025.
He said the drive for justice is not for revenge or political motives, but by the need for accountability, deterrence and the protection of human dignity.
Recall, Dr Obaseki, cousin to former Edo Governor, Godwin Obaseki, was seized by a horde of youths who accused him of insulting the Oba of Benin and thereafter stripped him to his pants, and marched him through the streets to the Oba’s Palace, Ring Road, Benin.
Obaseki, former managing director of Daar Communications and chief executive officer (CEO) of Hosamudia Farm, in narrating how he was “abducted and assaulted” by suspected thugs, said the “assailants” invaded the football field and forcibly took him away to the palace.
Meanwhile, in a strongly worded press statement in Benin, Dr. Obaseki stated that his action was not only to restore his personal dignity and protect his 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.
He 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.
Obaseki described the incident as a grave violation of his fundamental rights and 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 this claim has 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.
Dr. Obaseki said he welcomed and accepted the clarification as the official position of the palace and noted it as part of the public record.
He emphasised that the legal actions now 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, Dr. Obaseki said he has held consultations with renowned human-rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, 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.
He also confirmed that he has formally notified and is engaging international human-rights bodies and partners.
