The widow, Mrs Francis and Children
A blind widow and mother of four, Barrister Benny Francis, has appealed to Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, to intervene in what she described as prolonged injustice suffered by her and her children following the death of her husband and earlier unresolved grievances with the state government.
Speaking with newsmen in Benin, Francis said her husband, the family’s breadwinner, was killed after he was knocked down by a bus allegedly being chased by the Edo State Task Force led by Kelly Okungbowa, also known as Ebo-Stone.
She said all her efforts to secure a personal audience with the governor to present her case had so far been unsuccessful.
According to her, “When the governor heard about the incident, we were told he asked ‘where is the family of the man?’ The governor is actually interested in the case but we are being blocked from gaining access. I have met with the Coordinator of the First Lady, and she was trying to arrange for our meeting with the governor, but in one of my visits to the Office of the First Lady, I met Ebo-Stone in the office, so I waited at the reception. To my own surprise, the Coordinator didn’t meet with me that day despite the fact that she was the one that asked me to come. Till this moment, no attempt from that end. This is what happens to any highly placed political office holders. They may attend to me and listen to me initially, but once I meet them with Ebo-Stone, their doors become completely shut against me. I don’t know what they are hiding.”
Recounting the events that preceded her present condition, Francis said her ordeal began years earlier when she was still an active contractor with the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (EDSOGPADEC). She explained that she had been awarded a contract to build a 10-unit staff quarters in Ughoton community before tragedy struck.
Narrating her experience, she said, “Until the tragic incident that happened to her that led to her losing her sight, she was a contractor with the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (EDSOGPADEC) and was awarded a contract to construct a 10-unit staff quarters in Ughoton Community, Edo State.”
She further stated, “During the execution of this project, I was diabolically attacked and rendered blind,” adding that after the incident, EDSOGPADEC promised to compensate her, cover her medical bills and support her recovery, but failed to honour those assurances.
Francis alleged that the former Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Osarodion Ogie, had directed that she be provided with a Prado Jeep and a Hilux vehicle to
In her bid to seek redress, she said she approached the court, initially claiming N1 billion in damages. According to her, the government later sought an out-of-court settlement of N300 million, and after deliberations, both parties agreed on N500 million as compensation.
“Despite this legal resolution, only N50 million was offered, which I was advised to reject due to the lack of a conclusive agreement. Since then, the government has failed to fulfill their promises, including offering me new contracts as earlier pledged,” she said.
She added that the prolonged dispute left her financially ruined. “As a result of this ordeal, I lost all my properties, including my home, cars, and valuables to the bank, as I had taken loans to finance the EDSOGPADEC project. My financial situation has deteriorated drastically, leaving me struggling to survive,” she lamented.
Francis said her situation worsened further on December 11, 2024, when her husband was killed in an accident she attributed to the activities of the Edo State Task Force under the current administration.
“As if my suffering was not enough, tragedy struck again on December 11, 2024. My husband, who had been my only pillar of support, was tragically killed in an accident caused by the Edo State Task Force under the current administration,” she said.
She alleged that her husband was hit by a bus whose driver was being pursued by the task force led by a man she identified as “Able Stone.” According to her, “He was struck by a bus driver being pursued by the Task Force, led by a man known as ‘Able Stone’, and the vehicle crushed his head. He was rushed to the Edo Specialist Hospital and later referred to UBTH, where he sadly passed away by 5:00 PM that same day.”
The widow said she was five months pregnant at the time of her husband’s death and is now left to cater for four young children without any means of support. She denied claims allegedly made by Ebo-Stone that she and her children had been compensated.
Appealing directly to the governor, she said she was seeking compassion and intervention. “As a father and a man of compassion, to intervene in my case. I seek the support of the Edo State Government,” she pleaded.
When contacted for his reaction, Ebo-Stone answered a phone call but abruptly said, “I am in a party,” before ending the call upon realising it was from a journalist. A follow-up text message sent to his phone was not responded to as of the time this report was filed.
