Filmmaker Pedro Obaseki has announced plans to seek legal redress following what he described as his public abduction, assault and unlawful detention in Benin City on December 28, 2025.
In a statement on Sunday, Obaseki said the decision followed consultations with his family, senior legal advisers and respected elders. He stressed that the action is “not about revenge or politics, but about accountability, deterrence and the protection of human dignity.”
According to him, armed men seized him in broad daylight, beat him, stripped him naked, threatened him with death and paraded him along major roads while recording and live‑streaming the ordeal. He was later detained for several hours without lawful charge, despite sustaining injuries.
Obaseki described the incident as a violation of his fundamental rights and terrorism-related violence under Nigerian law. He said his abductors claimed they were acting on orders from the Oba of Benin, a claim formally denied by the Benin Traditional Council, which clarified it had no knowledge or involvement in the acts.
He confirmed that legal proceedings will focus on the individual perpetrators and anyone found to have aided or enabled the offences. “These include individuals who may have acted through impersonation of authority, abuse of office or omission,” he said.
The filmmaker has retained human rights lawyer Femi Falana, to lead both civil and criminal actions. He also said international human rights bodies have been notified to ensure transparency and oversight.
“The action is to restore my dignity, protect my family and send a clear message that no individual or group has the right to abduct, brutalise or publicly dehumanise any citizen outside the law,” he added. He declined further comments due to ongoing investigations and court proceedings.
The Edo State Government has denied any link to the incident, while rights groups and political parties have condemned the alleged attack, calling it humiliating and unlawful.
