The Department of State Services has assumed control of the investigation into the December 28, 2025, attack on media personality Don Pedro Obaseki, who was allegedly abducted and forcibly taken to a traditional palace in Benin City following controversial statements he made about the Benin Monarchy while abroad.
Obaseki’s lawyer, Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, confirmed the development in a statement, disclosing that his client has engaged with DSS operatives in Benin City under the supervision of the State Director, with all interactions formally documented.
“Any concerns arising from these interactions, including conduct, handling, and procedural integrity, have been consolidated before the appropriate authorities,” Falana said.
According to accounts provided by Obaseki’s legal team, the media entrepreneur was reportedly confronted by a group while playing football with friends, marched through the streets to the palace, and later handed over to the police before being released.
Falana described the attack as an act of terrorism and disclosed that petitions have been submitted to law enforcement and security agencies within and outside Nigeria. The petitions allege terrorism-related conduct, conspiracy, unlawful detention, assault, and obstruction of justice.
He commended the DSS for recognising the gravity of the case and treating it as terrorism-related, adding that Obaseki continues to cooperate fully with the investigation.
The senior lawyer also revealed that civil proceedings have been instituted in Nigerian courts, and that petitions have been submitted to international and regional bodies, including the ECOWAS Court of Justice, European Union human-rights mechanisms, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and arbitrary detention.
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“Given the human-rights implications, communications have also been sent to international and regional mechanisms to ensure transparency, preserve evidence, and uphold Nigeria’s obligations under international human-rights and anti-terrorism frameworks,” Falana stated.
The incident occurred following controversial remarks Obaseki allegedly made about the Benin Monarchy while in Europe, though the specific content of those remarks has not been publicly detailed. The attack has drawn attention to tensions between free speech and respect for traditional institutions in Nigeria.
The DSS, Nigeria’s primary domestic intelligence and security agency, has broad powers under the National Security Agencies Act to investigate activities that threaten public order, national security, or involve terrorism-related offences.
Under Nigerian law, terrorism is defined broadly to include acts intended to intimidate the public, coerce a government or institution, or disrupt public safety. The Terrorism (Prevention) Act of 2011, as amended, provides for severe penalties for acts of terrorism, including life imprisonment.
The submission of petitions to international bodies places Nigeria’s handling of the case under regional and global scrutiny. The ECOWAS Court of Justice has jurisdiction over human-rights violations by member states and has previously ruled in cases involving freedom of expression, unlawful detention, and abuse of power.
Obaseki has not issued a public statement since the incident, but his legal team has maintained that he is cooperating fully with investigators and is committed to pursuing all available legal remedies, both domestically and internationally.
