Mr. Kelly Okungbowa, a former coordinator of the Public Safety Response Team (PSRT) and an adviser to Governor Monday Okpebholo, has been detained by the Edo State Police Command on charges of assaulting a police officer while on duty.
ASP Eno Ikoedem, the command’s public relations officer, confirmed the arrest to reporters in Benin City on May 31, 2026.
According to Ikoedem, the accused is in police custody pending legal proceedings.
The command’s spokesman stressed that everyone is subject to the law and asked the public to respect law enforcement while they do their jobs.
No one is immune to the law, she says, therefore everyone should stand with police officers when they do their jobs legally.
Rumour has it that on Saturday night, May 30, 2026, in the Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state, an officer was attacked by an aide to the former governor as he was lawfully performing his duty at the Upper Sakponba axis.
Authorities said he assaulted the officer during a confrontation, which led to his detention.
In response, Kola Edokpayi, president of the Talakawa’s Rights Group, strongly denounced the alleged attack, calling it intolerable.
Despite what he saw as provocation, Edokpayi praised the participating cops for their professionalism and calm in a statement.
He felt that the public should hold police officers in high regard because of their dedication to protecting citizens and their property.
But he did caution that, instead of being physically confrontational, people should use the channels set up to address complaints about security officers.
Rather than getting into a confrontation with armed police officers, “Given Okungbowa’s influence and connections within government circles, it would have been more appropriate for him to report any perceived misconduct through official channels,” he added.
The Edo State Public Safety Response Team’s new coordinator, Kelly Okungbowa, was formerly the chair of the committee that Governor Monday Okpebholo established to recover stolen government cars, as reported in the DAILY POST.
Nonetheless, he was fired and placed on indefinite suspension as Coordinator of the Public Safety Response Team (PSRT) by the governor on March 14, 2025.
This came after numerous public complaints of extortion and misconduct, as well as a terrible incident involving the death of a two-year-old child in Benin City during a vehicle seizure operation by the task force.
On March 17, 2025, agents from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) Benin Zonal Directorate detained him on suspicion of naira abuse.
A video showing him splattering and dismembering naira at a pub in Benin City on March 9, 2025, went viral, leading to his arrest.
After being taken to court, Okungbowa was later released on bond.
Mr. Bright Osifo, a cameraman, and Mrs. Juliet Enabulele, a female journalist with the Edo State Broadcasting Service (EBS), were allegedly assaulted on December 15, 2025, by the ex-aide to Governor Okpebholo.
An empowerment program for 250 individuals with physical disabilities was being organised by Mrs. Remi Tinubu, wife of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, when the incident allegedly took place at the Festival Hall of Government House, Benin City.