Court grants ₦5m bail to man over assault on Obaseki

An Edo State High Court sitting in Benin on Friday granted ₦5 million bail to Osaze Adùn, also known as “Kapuepue,” over allegations of assault and harassment of journalist and media executive Dr Don Pedro Obaseki.

In a short ruling, Justice R. A. Ogbevoen admitted the defendant to bail with one surety of similar value. The surety must be a civil servant at Grade Level 12 or above and reside within the court’s jurisdiction. The court also directed Adùn to appear on the last Friday of every month until further advice from the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The bail application followed submissions by defence counsel, Olayiwola Afolabi, supported by a team including Collins Ogiegbaen and five others, who argued that the alleged offence is bailable and urged the court to respect the defendant’s fundamental rights.

Earlier, the Department of State Services had filed an ex parte application seeking to remand the defendant at a correctional centre pending legal advice from the DPP.

The case stems from an incident on Sunday, December 28, 2025, at the Uwa Primary School football field, where Dr. Obaseki was allegedly accosted, beaten, and forcefully taken away in what eyewitnesses described as a commando-style operation, sparking public outrage.

Dr. Obaseki’s counsel, Femi Falana, confirmed that the DSS took over the investigation due to the seriousness of the matter, describing the classification of the case as terrorism-related as “commendable” given its gravity and implications.