Benin City family alleges sustained harassment, extortion over unfounded rumors

Pa John Egharevba, the head of the Egharevba family, has raised a public alarm regarding the persistent harassment and extortion his family members have reportedly faced at the hands of youth groups in the Ogida area of Benin City.

Speaking to journalists, Pa Egharevba traced the origin of the family’s ordeal to August 2023, following the spread of neighborhood rumors concerning his son, Emmanuel.

The patriarch explained that the situation turned volatile after a friend of Emmanuel’s, identified as Osawaru Courage, fled to their residence to seek refuge from a mob.

The youths, who had accused Courage of engaging in same-sex activities, allegedly traced him to the Egharevba home.

According to Pa Egharevba’s account, while Emmanuel attempted to reason with the group at the gate, Courage managed to escape.

This prompted the mob to turn their aggression toward Emmanuel, accusing him of harboring a wanted person and labeling him with the same accusations.

The threats escalated to the point where the group vowed to kill him, forcing Emmanuel to flee his home and go into hiding.

The family maintains that despite Emmanuel’s absence, the intimidation has not ceased. Pa Egharevba lamented that various groups of hoodlums continue to storm family residences demanding Emmanuel's whereabouts, often resulting in physical assaults and the extortion of money.

While the family has reported these incidents to the authorities, the head of the household claims the harassment remains unabated.

Firmly rejecting the rumors against his son, Pa Egharevba appealed to security agencies for urgent intervention to protect his children and grandchildren from further victimization.