I Was Abducted, Stripped, Humiliated in Benin City, Laments Obaseki

Renowned Nollywood filmmaker and former Managing Director of DAAR Communications, Dr. Don Pedro Obaseki, has narrated a harrowing ordeal involving an alleged abduction and assault on Sunday, December 28, 2025.

The incident occurred in Benin City, Edo State, while Obaseki was participating in a weekly football session at Uwa Primary School. According to Obaseki, the peaceful sports gathering was suddenly interrupted by a group of armed assailants who claimed to be acting on the authority of the Palace of the Oba of Benin. He alleged that he was forcibly "kidnapped," severely beaten, and dragged through several major streets of the city. The humiliation culminated in him being stripped naked and taken to the palace gate, where he was made to kneel in public. Obaseki, a cousin of former Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, suggested that the attack was rooted in a cultural misunderstanding. He was told his "sin" was a public statement he made in London, where he reportedly said, "May Edo people live long and prosper." His attackers allegedly viewed this as a cardinal sin, insisting he should have instead said, "May the Oba live long and prosper." The filmmaker noted that after being taken to the palace, it became clear that the senior chiefs he met had not authorized the mission. He was subsequently released and taken to the Oba Market police station. The Commissioner of Police reportedly visited him several times before ordering his final release. Despite his freedom, Obaseki described himself as deeply traumatized, lamenting the public humiliation despite his decades of work promoting Benin culture.