Police Arrest Four NSCDC Personnel for  Death of Bolt Driver in Edo

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The Edo State Police command has reportedly arrested four operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) attached to a popular hotel in Benin City, capital of Edo State for allegedly beating and inflicting injury on a bolt driver, Mr. Henry Osarodion Osemwenkhia which eventually led to his death.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Moses Yamu, disclosed this while speaking on the circumstances that led to the death of the bolt driver.

He said that Mr. Osemwenkhia, on the 4th of February, 2025, reported a case of assault on his person by men of the NSCDC after dropping off his passenger. Yamu added that upon Osemwenkhia’s account, he was given a recommendation to go for a medical check-up but surprisingly on the next day, he was said to have died.

“The command is aware of the incident allegedly caused by the NSCDC officers. One Henry Osarodion Osemwenkhia who is now deceased reported on the 4th of February at the New Etete police station that he took some passengers to De Castle Hotel along Limit road Benin and in the process.”  

“He had an altercation with a young man and some of his friends and some Civil Defence officers and according to him, that at a point, they even punctured his tyres.

“So, on reporting that matter, he was quickly given a medical form which enabled him to go for treatment but unfortunately, on the 5th which was yesterday (Wednesday), we received a distress call that he finally died in his house while awaiting the test results of his scan.

“So, as I am speaking with you, his corpse has been deposited at the hospital. 

“We have four of the Civil Defence officers in our custody and the Commissioner of Police has directed an immediate  investigations into the matter to unravel the circumstances that have led to the death of the young man”, Yamu said.

On the part of the NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Edo State Command, Efosa Ogbebor, he said their men actually went there to separate a fight and were never involved in a fight with anybody.

He said his men were stationed at the said hotel to provide security for the facility.

Ogbebor also denied the allegation that his personnel were arrested by the police rather, they only went there to report themselves.

Earlier, the Bolt drivers in the state staged a peaceful protest, alleging the killing of their colleague, Mr. Henry Osarodion Osemwenkhia, by operatives of the NSCDC attached to one of the popular hotels in Benin City.

The protesters who converge on the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State council, displayed placards that read thus: “Enough of the brutality by security agencies, enough is enough , Bolt drivers are not slaves, Justice for Bolt Drivers, We need Justice for the death of Bolt driver, Henry.”

Speaking for the group, Festus Nwabuzo, said that they are demanding Justice on behalf of their colleague who was allegedly killed by the officers and men of the NSCDC, saying the deceased was an easy going man who can never hurt a fly.