(DDM) – A disturbing video has surfaced showing Edo State Taskforce operatives manhandling residents during the enforcement of the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that the viral clip, shared on X (formerly Twitter) by The Benin Blogger on Sunday, depicted operatives dragging individuals, including teenagers, into waiting buses in Benin City.
The five-minute, sixteen-second footage also showed taskforce members harassing victims, including a woman pulled from her shop, despite claims it was not open for business.
In another scene, drivers and passengers travelling through Edo on federal roads were forcibly removed from their vehicles, sparking widespread public outrage.
Reports indicate that operatives of the Nigeria Police Force attached to the taskforce assisted in carrying out the arrests and alleged assaults, raising concerns over potential human rights violations.
Residents condemned the operation, accusing the government of sanctioning acts of brutality under the guise of environmental enforcement.
Critics argued that the exercise lacked proper legislative backing and could be in breach of constitutional rights, particularly the right to movement.
The video has drawn thousands of reactions online, with Nigerians expressing shock at the excessive use of force by officials meant to uphold the law.
One user, @personpapa14, wrote: “Everybody for Nigeria get SARS behavior, dem never just see power to oppress and dehumanize their fellow human, nai make dem Dey feel say dem better, give them small power and BOOM! There you Go!”
Another commentator, @kingfisch3r, questioned the logic of such policies, stating: “It’s like they don’t even think before making and enforcing some of these policies.
How’s an interstate commuter supposed to know about the state’s environmental law?”
Similarly, @1OftenWonderWhy criticised the taskforce’s actions, saying: “Because you want to clean the environment, which is your job, you now deny citizens the right of movement and start arresting/kidnapping them on various nebulous charges? We’re not making it as a people.”
Further condemnation came from @DaphneAlmond, who wrote: “It’s sad enough that people flouted the environmental sanitation exercise and I understand the role the task force team is playing to enforce same but I completely disagree with the possession of arms. Has the government lost sanity or something?!”
The Edo State Government had reintroduced the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in April 2025 to promote a cleaner and healthier environment across the state.
However, legal experts, activists, and human rights advocates have warned that the recent enforcement methods could trigger lawsuits and public protests.
Analysts say the incident mirrors past controversies involving taskforces across Nigeria, where poorly trained enforcement teams often overstep their boundaries, resulting in injuries, rights violations, and deaths.
The state government has yet to release an official statement addressing the video or the public backlash, fueling concerns of escalating tensions between residents and authorities.
Observers believe that unless immediate reforms are made, the credibility of the environmental policy could be overshadowed by allegations of brutality and abuse of power.
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