EXCLUSIVE: Human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has condemned the failure of Nigerian authorities to arrest those who abducted, stripped, and brutalised actor Don Pedro (Dr. Pedro Obaseki) in Benin City on December 28, 2025.

Falana described the attack as a direct threat to the actor’s life and dignity, noting that Obaseki was treated as a suspect while his assailants remain free. Months later, none of the armed criminals have been held accountable.

Rights advocates are calling for an independent investigation.

#BreakingNews #DonPedro #FemiFalana #BeninCity #HumanRights #Nigeria

Amnesty International Condemns Nigerian Police Over Failure to Arrest Attackers of Filmmaker Pedro Obaseki in Benin City

Amnesty International has strongly condemned the Nigerian Police for failing to arrest the assailants who abducted and publicly humiliated Nigerian filmmaker Dr. Don Pedro Obaseki in Benin City, Edo State. The human rights organization described the incident as “barbaric and unlawful,” emphasizing that it violated basic principles of due process and human dignity.

Obaseki, a cousin of former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, was seized by a group of men allegedly acting on behalf of the Benin Traditional Council. He was dragged to the Oba of Benin’s palace, stripped publicly, and forced to kneel and walk on his knees. The attackers did not present identification or legal authority for their actions.

Amnesty International called on law enforcement to investigate the incident, bring the perpetrators to justice, and urged the Oba’s palace to dissociate itself from the unlawful acts. The organization highlighted that such repression undermines civic freedoms and human rights in Edo State.

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#PedroObaseki #HumanRightsViolation #AmnestyInternational #EdoState #ObaOfBenin

Edo Political Thugs Allegedly Linked to Governor Okepbholo Exposed as Lawyer Deji Adeyanju Seeks Visa Ban

Fresh allegations have emerged of state-backed political violence in Edo State, with thugs reportedly linked to Governor Monday Okepbholo accused of harassing critics, brutalising citizens, and silencing dissent. Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has vowed to petition the US, UK, Canada, and other Western countries to impose visa bans on the politicians and their alleged enforcers. Key incidents include the assault of critic Don Pedro in Benin City and a previous attack on APC critic Albert Obazee in Manchester, UK. Adeyanju warns that international accountability will be pursued to curb these human rights abuses.

Actor Dr Don Pedro Obaseki Abd¥cted, Str+pped, and H¥miliated while playing football

Nigerian actor and cultural advocate, Dr Don Pedro Obaseki, has recounted a harrowing experience of abd¥ction, a+sa¥lt, and public h¥miliation by a group of men who dragged him to the Oba of Benin Palace on Sunday in Benin City.

Speaking to African Independent Television (AIT), Obaseki said the incident occurred around 11:00–11:30 a.m. while playing football with Uwa All Stars at Uwa Primary School. He described how ass+ilants, some armed, suddenly invaded the ground, abd¥cted him, and forcibly dragged him through several streets including Igbesawan Street, Akpakpava Road, and Ring Road where he was stri+ped n@ked in public before being taken to the palace premises. Obaseki, a cousin of former Edo Governor Godwin Obaseki, said the att@ckers claimed they were sent by the palace but failed to show any form of identification when requested.

“I begged them to show me some form of ID, of course not. I was dragged, beaten severely, manhandled… and taken into the palace,” he explained. The actor said the ordeal left him tra¥matized, especially given his lifelong contributions to Benin culture.

Following the incident, he was taken to a police station along Oba Market Road, where the Edo State Commissioner of Police intervened, personally visiting him multiple times before ordering his release.

Obaseki revealed that the alleged offence stemmed from comments he made during a recent visit to London, where he wished “Edo gha to’kperewa” (“May Edo people live long and prosper”) instead of “Oba gha to’kpere” (“May the Oba live long and prosper”), which he was told constituted a serious cultural violation.

Public outrage has continued to grow, with calls for accountability and a full investigation into the actions of those involved in the as+a¥lt and abd¥ction. The incident occurs against the backdrop of long-standing tension between the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, and former Governor Godwin Obaseki, particularly over disputes surrounding cultural heritage, administration of Benin artifacts, and traditional authority in Edo State.

I Was Kidnapped, Stripped And Humiliated’: Nigerian Actor Don Pedro Obaseki Recounts Abduction, Assault And Palace Ordeal In Benin

Nigerian actor and university lecturer, Dr Don Pedro Obaseki, has narrated how he was allegedly abducted, beaten, stripped naked, and publicly humiliated by armed men who dragged him to the Oba of Benin Palace in Benin City. Speaking in an interview with AIT, Obaseki said the incident occurred while he was playing football and described the experience as traumatic and degrading. He alleged the assailants claimed they were acting on palace orders but presented no identification. Obaseki said police later intervened and ordered his release, adding that palace chiefs told him the abduction was unauthorised. He claimed his ordeal stemmed from comments he made in London praising Edo people, which was allegedly deemed a cultural violation. The incident has sparked public outrage and renewed calls for investigation and accountability.

Lawyer Demands Probe After Actor Don Pedro Obaseki Is Stripped, Assaulted, Dragged to Benin Palace Over ‘Disrespect’ Allegations

An entertainment lawyer, Rockson A. Igelige, has called for an urgent investigation after Nigerian actor Dr Don Pedro Obaseki was allegedly ambushed, kidnapped, stripped to his boxers, assaulted, and forcibly dragged to the Oba of Benin’s palace in Benin City. The incident, reportedly carried out by youths claiming to act on behalf of the Benin Traditional Council, followed accusations that the actor disrespected the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II. Igelige described the act as criminal, barbaric, and a gross violation of Obaseki’s fundamental human rights, urging the Edo State Government and security agencies to ensure all perpetrators are held accountable, regardless of status or affiliation.

VIDEO: Thugs Allegedly Acting for Benin Traditional Council Assault, Strip Actor Don Pedro Obaseki, Drag Him to Palace Over ‘Disrespect’ Claims

Nigerian actor Dr Don Pedro Obaseki was allegedly seized, stripped, and assaulted by a group of youths said to be acting on behalf of the Benin Traditional Council over claims that he disrespected the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II. The incident, captured in a viral video, showed the actor stripped to his boxers, forced to kneel and crawl within the Benin Kingdom Palace premises before being taken inside to meet palace officials. Sources said the action was linked to Obaseki’s recent participation in a London event organised in honour of his cousin, former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, who has been at the centre of a long-running dispute with the Benin Palace. The controversy is rooted in years of tension between the former governor and the Oba over control of repatriated Benin artefacts, traditional authority, and alleged withholding of statutory allocations to the Benin Traditional Council. The incident has sparked public outrage and renewed debate over the use of mob action, traditional authority, and the limits of cultural enforcement in Nigeria.