A visually impaired widow and mother of four, Benny Francis, has appealed to Governor Monday Okpebholo to intervene over what she described as injustice suffered by her and her children following the death of her husband and earlier disputes with the Edo State Government.

Mrs Francis said her husband, the family’s breadwinner, died after being knocked down by a bus allegedly chased by operatives of the Edo State Task Force led by Kelly Okungbowa, also known as Ebo-Stone.

She alleged that despite indications that the governor was interested in the case, her efforts to gain access to him had been unsuccessful.

“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,” she said.

She added that attempts to secure a meeting through the Office of the First Lady also failed, claiming that once she encountered Ebo-Stone in government offices, further engagement was cut off.

Francis recounted that before losing her sight, she was a contractor with the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission, where she was awarded a contract to build a 10-unit staff quarters in Ughoton community.

She said she was attacked during the execution of the project and became blind, adding that assurances by the commission to compensate her, settle her medical bills and support her recovery were not fulfilled.

According to her, a vehicle approved to assist her mobility was later retrieved and never returned, while a court-mediated compensation process was also left unresolved.

“In pursuit of justice, I went to court. After negotiations, it was agreed that I would receive N500 million in compensation, but only N50 million was later offered, which I was advised to reject,” she said. She said her financial situation deteriorated after she lost her properties to banks, having taken loans to execute the project.

Francis said tragedy struck again on December 11, 2024, when her husband was killed in an accident involving a bus allegedly pursued by the Edo State Task Force.

She said he was taken to the Edo Specialist Hospital and later referred to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, where he died at 5:00 p.m. the same day.

“I lost my husband when I was five months pregnant and was left to care for four young children with no means of support,” she said, appealing to the governor to intervene “as a father and a man of compassion”.She also denied claims by Ebo-Stone that she and her children had been compensated.

When contacted, Ebo-Stone answered a phone call but said, “I am in a party,” before ending the call. He also did not respond to a follow-up message as at press time.