PROTEST: EDO CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS PROTEST AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY, EXTORTION
CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS PROTEST POLICE BRUTALITY, EXTORTION IN EDO STATE
A coalition of civil society groups and human rights activists under the banner of the Edo State Civil Society Organization (EDOSCO) took to the streets of Benin City on Monday, May 19, to protest what they describe as increasing police brutality and extortion. The protest was triggered by recent security operations by the Edo State Government aimed at cracking down on cultism and kidnapping.
The protesters marched from Ring Road to the Inner Center of King’s Square, causing significant traffic gridlock along King Square and Ajon Road. They carried placards bearing messages such as “We Support Fight Against Cultism,” and “Edo Lives Matter.”
Despite the peaceful nature of the demonstration, the area was heavily monitored by police personnel to ensure no breakdown of law and order.
Their first stop was the Edo State Government House, where they submitted a letter addressed to Governor Senator Godwin Obaseki, voicing their concerns about the methods being employed by the state police. According to the group, the police have used the government’s anti-cultism directive as a cover to harass, brutalize, and extort innocent citizens.
The group alleged that multiple police checkpoints across Benin City serve more for personal gain than for crime prevention, accusing officers of using arbitrary arrests to solicit bribes.
Speaking during the protest, EDOSCO Coordinator Leftist Dede described the situation as a failure of governance that is pushing youths toward cultism out of desperation for survival.
“We’ve held more than seven protests in the last eight years against cultism. But unless the government provides real opportunities for the youth, they will keep falling into cultism as a way to belong and survive. If the government won’t fulfill its electoral promises, then it is the youth who must find better ways to grow and survive,” he said.
He added that written appeals have been submitted to the government, which has acknowledged receipt and promised action. The group expects an official response in the coming days.
Other speakers at the protest also implored Governor Obaseki to intervene decisively. One protester lamented the indiscriminate arrest of innocent citizens, often framed as cultists and extorted for bribes.
“Even when they know you’re innocent, they ask you to pay. If you don’t, they take you to Oko Prison,” one protester said. “This is not justice. It’s oppression.”
The protesters warned that if their demands are not addressed, they will return to the streets in larger numbers to continue the fight for justice and police accountability.
This is Dennis Ugbudian, reporting for VOS TV Benin.
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