Benin City was rocked over the weekend as disturbing footage surfaced online showing Edo State Sanitation Task Force operatives violently assaulting residents—including a pregnant woman—during the monthly sanitation lockdown. The video, widely shared on social media, captured uniformed officers chasing traders, flogging individuals, and manhandling a visibly pregnant woman for allegedly violating the state-imposed movement restriction.
Eyewitnesses reported that the crackdown took place on Saturday, June 1, 2025, as part of the sanitation exercise enforced from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on the last Saturday of every month. The policy, reintroduced by Monday Okpebholo’s administration earlier this year, has sparked widespread criticism for lacking legal backing and for the brutality displayed by enforcement officers.
Legal experts and human rights groups have condemned the lockdown, arguing that it contravenes constitutional provisions and court rulings which have declared such restrictions unconstitutional. Despite these rulings, the state government has continued enforcement, leading to what many describe as “rights violations” and “judicial assault”.
Residents and civil society organizations are now calling for urgent investigations and federal intervention. One resident, Mr. Jude, said, “The violence we saw today is the result of a policy that lacks legal basis. It is unacceptable that court decisions are being ignored, and citizens are suffering for it”.
The Deputy Governor, Dennis Idahosa, defended the policy, urging citizens to view it as a civic responsibility for a cleaner Edo. However, the backlash continues to grow, with many demanding accountability and an immediate end to the violent enforcement tactics.
Will the Edo government heed the calls for justice, or is this the beginning of a deeper crisis over rule of law in the state? Stay tuned for updates as the story develops.
