Benin City is in shock after a highly controversial incident unfolded just hours after Senator Monday Okpebholo rolled out his much-publicized Special Security Squad for Edo State. Dubbed “Operation Flush Out Kidnappers and Cultists,” this elite team was supposed to reassure residents. Instead, it’s made headlines for all the wrong reasons.
According to firsthand accounts, a journalist identified as Hassan Olasunkanmi Quadri with Independent Television was allegedly assaulted during a late-night raid on an undisclosed hotel in Benin City. The squad stormed into Quadri’s room, failing to identify themselves. He reports being slapped, tear-gassed in the eyes, and manhandled — with his clothes torn and personal belongings nearly seized by the officers.
In a viral video that’s ignited outrage across social media, Quadri recounts his ordeal in Pidgin English, exclaiming, “I asked a simple question: ‘Who are you? Who are you looking for?’ They didn’t introduce themselves. Instead, they slapped me and tear-gassed my eyes.” The incident has heightened public concern about the unchecked powers of the new security squad.
Fred Itua, the Chief Press Secretary to Okpebholo, confirmed the assault during a radio programme, admitting he personally intervened to prevent Quadri’s detention, describing the squad’s actions as “unfortunate.” Civil society groups and media professionals are demanding an urgent investigation and accountability for police excesses.
Residents are asking: if journalists are not safe under the new security squad, what hope is there for the ordinary citizen? With “Operation Flush Out Kidnappers and Cultists” only just getting started, this scandal has put the state government under fire, testing the credibility of Okpebholo’s security reforms like never before
