By Williams Osaro
Benin City – Edo State, often celebrated as the cradle of black civilization, boasts a rich tapestry of culture and traditions. The southern part of the state is home to the Bini-speaking people, whose ancestry stretches across Edo Central, inhabited by the Esan-speaking people, and Edo North, where the Afemai-speaking communities reside.
The people of Edo have long been known for upholding both written and unwritten agreements — values deeply woven into their cultural fabric. But in the relentless pursuit of money and material gain, these values appear to be eroding, leaving behind troubling consequences.
Across the country, cases of abuse, threats to life, and attacks on innocent people have been on the rise. One particularly harrowing case that drew public attention was that of Mrs. Theresa Bright, who narrowly escaped death at the hands of a group of assailants in her rented apartment in Benin City in 2020.
Speaking to journalists in Benin City, the visibly injured Mrs. Bright recounted her ordeal with deep pain and anguish. She revealed that her nightmare began in 2016 when her daughter, Joy Bright, was lured abroad by a woman known as Madam Itohan under the pretext of helping the family.
According to Mrs. Bright, Madam Itohan came to their home promising to sponsor Joy’s trip to Europe, where she was allegedly to work as an assistant in her salon in Italy. Trusting her word — without a written agreement — the family agreed. But upon arrival in Italy, Joy was forced into prostitution, a practice that shattered her dignity and conflicted with her Christian faith.
As a mother, Mrs. Bright petitioned the Edo State Police Command, accusing Madam Itohan of deceit and alleging that the woman later sent attackers to intimidate and harm her family. Joy, she said, has been held hostage, forced into sex work, and subjected to physical and psychological trauma. Despite her refusal to continue as a commercial sex worker and her determination to stand by her faith, Joy remains in distress, and her whereabouts are currently unknown to her family.
Mrs. Bright further disclosed that the assailants who targeted her did not stop at threatening her life; they also vandalized her rented apartment and left a chilling ultimatum: unless Joy returned to Madam Itohan or the family paid a staggering ₦62,695,500, they would not be spared.
The threats culminated in another attack on October 12, 2024. Assailants traced Mrs. Bright to her new residence on Nosa Street, off Ogheghe Community Road, along Sapele Road in Benin City. There, she and her three daughters were beaten mercilessly and left with severe injuries. The attackers also set the apartment ablaze, vowing to return and “wipe them off the face of the earth” if their demands were not met.
Meanwhile, the landlord of the burnt building has also petitioned the police, demanding that Mrs. Bright rebuild the house or face legal action.
Mrs. Bright’s case is a stark reminder of the disturbing realities facing many Nigerians — where trust is betrayed, agreements are violated, and justice seems elusive. It highlights the need for urgent action by authorities to protect vulnerable citizens, uphold the rule of law, and ensure that perpetrators of such heinous acts are brought to justice.
