Armed hoodlums invade Benin residential homes amid political violence

Armed hoodlums on Friday evening invaded a residential home in the Siluko road area of Benin City in search of suspected supporter of the opposition ruling party in Nigeria, the All Progressive Congress, (APC).

Eyewitnesses said about nine armed men stormed the residence at about 4:45 p.m. on February 23, 2026, in search of Osamudiamen Benjamin Omoriyekemwen, a member of the Obedient Movement that supported the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in the 2023 general elections.

Osamudiamen Benjamin Omoriyekemwen, popularly known as Humble, was allegedly being sought by the attackers over claims that he had been mobilising supporters ahead of Obi’s planned visit to Benin City the following day.

According to the victim, Christopher Emmanuel, the hoodlums— led by a known APC thug and supporter commonly called Kapuepue—broke into the apartment and assaulted both him and his mother, leaving him with severe injuries.

According to Christopher Emmanuel, “I overheard them saying they were looking for my cousin, My mother told them that my cousin, Osamudiamen, had not lived with us for years and that she had not seen him for a very long time.

“They said they had received reliable information that he had been seen earlier that day with one of his friends, Osas Monday, at his shop, and that he had come to support Mr. Peter Obi, who was expected to come to Benin the next day, the 24th of February 2026”.

The attackers, it was learnt they forcefully gained entrance into the house after attempts to sway them for the obvious reason that Osamudiamen Benjamin Omoriyekemwen, whom they sought wasn’t in the house at the time.

The invaders were said to have insisted that the victims convey their threat message to Osamudiamen, that wherever they see him, they would kill him. They claimed that his photographs had been distributed to what they referred to as a “special squad” of the All Progressives Congress (APC), tasked with the eliminating and assaulting opposition members and their supporters ahead of the coming election.

Politics of intimidation and coersion has become common place in Nigeria particularly in Edo State where Governor Monday Okpebholo has publicly threatened key opposition politicians not to visit the state except with his express permission or face the consequences in the face of a violation.

The APC Chief thug, Kapuepue had gain notoriety in Edo state over the years. And in a recent report in December 2025 he openly stripped renowned media executive Dr. Pedro Obaseki, a relative to the immediate past governor of the state Godwin Obaseki.