The May edition of the Edo State monthly environmental sanitation exercise has left citizens in shock and anger—not for its intended purpose, but due to a disturbing viral video showing a pregnant woman being assaulted by uniformed operatives at what has now been confirmed to be an unauthorized mobile court.
The video, which surfaced online shortly after the Saturday exercise, was recorded within the premises of the Egba Skill Acquisition Centre in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area. It showed members of the sanitation task force manhandling the pregnant woman and a man who appeared to be trying to defend her. A second woman stood by, visibly shaken, while a third woman, believed to be the recorder of the footage, narrated in alarm.
In response to the incident, the Chairman of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Council, Rt. Hon. Jolly Obosa Ogbeide, has publicly dissociated the council from the illegal mobile court and unauthorized task force behind the assault. In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Uncommon Emmanuel, the chairman clarified that the legitimate mobile court was situated at the Council Secretariat, not at the Egba Skill Acquisition Centre.
He said: “The operations at the Egba Skill Acquisition Centre were neither set up under the directive nor with the approval of the Council. Those involved are bad eggs attempting to tarnish the image of the Edo State Government and the Ikpoba-Okha Local Government.”
According to the statement, the unauthorized operatives have since been apprehended and handed over to the Idogbo Police Station for investigation. Rt. Hon. Ogbeide also urged residents to remain calm while the matter—particularly the human rights violations captured in the video—is fully investigated and addressed.
He reassured the public of his administration’s unwavering commitment to legality, transparency, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
“Such unsanctioned behavior will not be tolerated,” he added.
The sanitation exercise, statewide in scope, was supervised by the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Dennis Idahosa, who earlier praised the initiative as essential to public health and environmental sustainability.
“As we gather here today, let us reflect on the significance of this initiative. Our environment is not just the backdrop to our lives; it is the very foundation of our health, our economy, and the legacy we leave for future generations,” Idahosa said.
He urged residents to eschew the indiscriminate disposal of waste, especially actions like the blocking of drainages with refuse and the littering of streets, stating:
>“A clean environment is not a luxury but a necessity for our well-being. It is our collective duty to ensure that cleanliness becomes a way of life in our dear state.”
Echoing this sentiment, the Managing Director of the Edo State Waste Management Board, Lucky Inegbenehi, revealed that the board has activated 19 mobile courts—two in Oredo and one in each of the remaining local government areas—to prosecute sanitation defaulters.
However, the viral video from Egba has cast a shadow over the program, highlighting the dangers of unregulated enforcement and the potential for human rights abuses. Civil society groups and concerned citizens are now calling for justice for the victims and stringent oversight of future sanitation operations.
