Nigeria’s domestic intelligence service, the Department of State Services (DSS), has officially taken over the investigation into a high-profile violent incident involving media executive Don Pedro Obaseki that occurred in late December 2025.
The move marks a significant escalation in the handling of the case, which has drawn widespread national and international attention after video footage circulated showing Obaseki being attacked, stripped and forced through the streets of Benin City before being taken to the palace of the historic Benin monarchy.
According to statements from Obaseki’s legal team, the DSS’s assumption of investigative authority was prompted by formal petitions filed by Obaseki and his counsel, who have described the incident as terrorism-related and involving allegations of conspiracy, unlawful detention and obstruction of justice.
Obaseki has retained prominent rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), and his legal representatives say they have also launched civil proceedings in Nigerian courts while forwarding petitions to regional and international bodies, including the ECOWAS Court of Justice, the European Union human-rights mechanisms, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture and arbitrary detention.
In taking over the probe, the DSS has been commended by Obaseki’s team for recognizing the serious nature of the allegations and for treating the complaint with the gravity it warrants. Obaseki is reported to be cooperating fully with authorities as they continue the inquiry.
The December 28 incident shook public opinion in Nigeria, igniting debates over civil liberties, rule of law, and the role of non-state actors in enforcing perceived cultural or traditional norms.
