The Nigeria Police Force has released its version of events following claims by social media influencer Abike Raheem, widely known as Papaya Ex, that she was assaulted by a police officer during a late-night encounter in Lagos.
Papaya Ex had alleged during a TikTok live session on Friday
that an officer attacked her in the Ajah area as she was returning from a movie
set. She claimed the officer struck her in the face with a gun, assaulted her
driver, touched her inappropriately, and forcibly seized her mobile phone. She
also showed what appeared to be injuries during the broadcast.
According to her, the alleged assault was not captured on
video due to network problems.
Responding on Saturday, the spokesperson of the Nigeria
Police Force, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the incident occurred “just before 2
am” when officers on night patrol stopped a vehicle carrying three men and two
women for a routine search.
According to Hundeyin, the influencer “bluntly refused” the
search, saying, “You cannot search my car. Don’t you know Papaya? Even your
bosses know me.”
He explained that she chose to proceed to a police station
and that, after an initial refusal, an officer entered her vehicle. He added
that while the influencer’s vehicle drove ahead with the patrol team following,
she allegedly instructed her driver to speed off.
“At that rate, the patrol van was going to lose them. The
police had to radio the patrol team far ahead to intercept them. Then the live
began,” he wrote, noting that the Lagos State Police Command would provide
additional details.
Further clarification came from the Lagos State Police
Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, who offered a more detailed
account of the encounter.
She said: “A white Mercedes-Benz SUV conveying five (5)
occupants — two (2) females and three (3) males — was intercepted during a
routine stop-and-search operation. When questioned, the occupants were unable
to provide satisfactory means of identification.
“One of them repeatedly stated, ‘I am Papaya X, even your
bosses know me,’ but failed to present any valid identification or offer
verifiable details.”
SP Adebisi said officers requested that the occupants
proceed to Ajah Police Station for proper identification and documentation,
with an assistant superintendent of police joining the SUV while other officers
followed behind.
“However, upon leaving the scene, the driver suddenly sped
off in an apparent attempt to evade the Police. The vehicle was subsequently
intercepted through the swift intervention of personnel from Langbasa Police
Division at another checkpoint around Addo Roundabout.
“The viral video being circulated was recorded after the
vehicle had been successfully stopped at the second checkpoint,” she said.
Adebisi added that the case was under investigation and
further updates would be communicated.
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