…the DSS has agreed to treat the matter as terrorism-related,
BENIN, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | DSS has reportedly taken over the investigation into the recent attack on media mogul Don Pedro Obaseki, an incident allegedly linked to remarks he made about the Benin monarchy while in Europe, as the controversy surrounding the matter continues to unfold.
Obaseki was attacked on December 28, 2025, after he was allegedly seized from a football pitch where he was playing with friends. He was reportedly paraded through the streets to the palace, handed over to the police, and later released.
Confirmation that the DSS has assumed responsibility for the case came through a statement issued by Obaseki’s counsel, Femi Falana, SAN, and made available to journalists in Benin City.
Falana disclosed that Obaseki’s legal team has instituted civil actions in Nigerian courts and has also submitted petitions 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.
He further revealed that Dr. Obaseki has held engagements with the DSS in Benin City under the supervision of the State Director, noting that all concerns arising from those interactions including issues relating to conduct, handling, and procedural integrity have been formally documented and consolidated for submission to relevant authorities.
According to Falana, the manner in which Obaseki was attacked amounts to an act of terrorism. He stated that since the incident, formal petitions have been filed with appropriate law enforcement, security, and oversight agencies both within and outside Nigeria.
The petitions, he said, detail credible allegations of terrorism-related activities, conspiracy, unlawful detention, assault, and obstruction of justice connected to the incident and its aftermath.
Falana added that the DSS headquarters in Abuja has also been formally petitioned, stressing that the agency has now officially taken over the investigation. He noted that the DSS has agreed to treat the matter as terrorism-related, in recognition of the seriousness, nature, and implications of the alleged acts.
He said Dr. Obaseki has welcomed this development and continues to cooperate fully with lawful investigative processes.
Given the human-rights implications of the case, Falana explained that petitions and formal communications have also been sent to relevant international and regional bodies, including the European Union Human Rights Commission, the ECOWAS Court of Justice, and the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture, arbitrary detention, and abuse of power, to ensure transparency, preservation of evidence, and compliance with Nigeria’s international human-rights and anti-terrorism obligations.
