Timothy Omobude 
The Obaseki Family in Edo State has strongly condemned the mob violence and public humiliation allegedly meted out to their son, Dr. Don Pedro Agbonifo Obaseki, describing the incident as barbaric, unlawful and a grave threat to public peace and the rule of law.
The incident reportedly occurred in broad daylight on Sunday, December 28, 2025, and involved suspected individuals who, according to the family, were neither palace functionaries nor agents of the state.
Dr. Obaseki, a renowned journalist and media executive, was said to have been accosted on Sunday morning at the popular Uwa Primary School football field in Benin.
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The former Managing Director of DAAR Communications was allegedly beaten, intimidated and forcefully taken away in what eyewitnesses described as a commando-style operation, a development that has sparked widespread outrage and strong public condemnation.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the assailants, reportedly armed with dangerous weapons, brutalised the victim before marching him toward the palace of the Oba of Benin.
It was against this backdrop that the Obaseki Family issued a strongly worded statement, condemning the act as barbaric, shameful and a gross violation of fundamental human rights.
In a press statement jointly signed by the Okaegbe and Secretary of the Obaseki Family Worldwide, Pa. Daniel Igbinovia Obaseki and Mr. Ewere Obaseki, the family said it was deeply disturbed by the brazen manner in which the attackers allegedly took the law into their own hands.
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Reading the statement at a press conference in Benin on Tuesday, Mr. Ewere Obaseki said the incident had far-reaching implications for societal order and the sanctity of lawful authority in Benin and beyond.
He explained that the family deliberately delayed reacting in order to properly digest the “bizarre” incident and await the response of constituted authorities.
However, he noted that the disturbing scenes circulating in the public domain compelled the family to speak out, warning that such acts were capable of damaging Benin’s long-held reputation as the Home of Culture, peace and discipline.
Describing the footage as savage and wholly antithetical to Benin values, the statement stressed that no person of good conscience could witness the humiliation of a son of the soil—an accomplished professional, cultural ambassador and member of a frontline noble family—without being profoundly shaken.
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The Obaseki Council also clarified that its position was neither political nor partisan, emphasizing that the family has always accommodated diverse political views, provided they are expressed with civility, respect and strict adherence to the law.
It maintained that Dr. Don Pedro Agbonifo Obaseki has conducted himself honorably at all times and that there was absolutely no justification for the violence allegedly visited upon him.
While reaffirming its respect for the Palace of the Oba of Benin as a unifying institution and moral compass for all Benin people, the family warned that nothing should be done by non-palace functionaries to undermine the dignity and exalted position of the revered traditional institution.
In the interest of justice and societal balance, the Council called for a thorough, lawful and impartial investigation into the incident, urging that anyone found culpable be held accountable.
The Council expressed full support for Dr. Obaseki’s decision to seek legal redress, insisting that the rule of law must prevail over jungle justice.
