Key points

• Obaseki says armed men abducted him during a football match in Benin City
• He alleges public assault, stripping and humiliation before police stepped in
• Palace and police authorities have not commented on the claims

Don Pedro Obaseki, a cousin of former Edo State governor Godwin Obaseki, has described a disturbing ordeal that he says left him beaten, humiliated and traumatised in Benin City.

Obaseki spoke in a video broadcast by Africa Independent Television on Sunday, days after reports surfaced that he was stripped naked and taken to the Oba of Benin’s Palace by suspected assailants.

Abduction during a football game

He said the incident happened around 11:30 a.m. while he was playing football with members of the Uwa All Stars at Uwa Primary School in Benin.

According to Obaseki, armed men stormed the field, seized him and claimed they were acting on instructions from the palace of the Oba of Benin.

He said the men refused to identify themselves when he asked for proof of their authority.

Dragged through city streets

Obaseki said the assailants dragged him through several streets, beating him as they went. He described being pulled along Igbisawan Street, through Akpakpava and onto Ring Road, one of the city’s busiest areas.

At that point, he said, the men stripped him naked in public before taking him toward the palace, where he was expected to kneel openly.

The experience, he added, marked the most humiliating moment of his life and cut deeply because of his identity as a Benin native.

Police intervention leads to release

Obaseki said the situation changed only after he was taken to a police station along Oba Market Road. There, he said, the Commissioner of Police intervened and ordered his release.

He said the physical injuries healed faster than the emotional shock, describing the episode as deeply traumatising.

Alleged reason behind the assault

Obaseki claimed he was later told his alleged offence stemmed from a public remark he made in London. During that appearance, he said he wished Edo people long life and prosperity.

He said he was accused of failing to direct that blessing specifically to the Oba of Benin, a lapse he was told amounted to a serious cultural violation.

Obaseki rejected the accusation, pointing to decades of work promoting Benin culture through film and the creative industry.

As of the time of reporting, neither the palace of the Oba of Benin nor the Edo State Police Command had issued an official statement addressing the allegations.