The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, has given the police’s account of events following allegations by social media influencer Abike Raheem, popularly known as Papaya Ex, that she was assaulted by an officer during a late-night encounter in Lagos.
Papaya Ex had, during an emotional TikTok live session on Friday, alleged that a police officer assaulted her in the Ajah area while 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 collected her mobile phone.
She also displayed what appeared to be injuries during the broadcast. The full context of the incident could not be independently verified at the time.
However, in a statement posted on Saturday via his verified handle, Hundeyin said the incident began “just before 2 am” when officers on night patrol stopped a vehicle conveying three men and two women for a routine search.
According to him, the influencer “bluntly refused” the search, saying, “You cannot search my car. Don’t you know Papaya? Even your bosses know me.”
He stated that she opted to proceed to the police station, after which an officer entered her vehicle following an initial refusal.
He explained that her vehicle drove ahead while the patrol team followed behind, but alleged that she instructed her driver to speed off, leaving the patrol vehicle far behind.
“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, adding that the Lagos State Police Command would provide further details.
Adding details from the Lagos State Police, Public Relations Officer SP Abimbola Adebisi provided a fuller 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 added that officers requested that the group proceed to Ajah Police Station for proper identification and documentation, with an ASP 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.
Earlier, Papaya Ex had alleged that what started as a friendly exchange degenerated into a confrontation. She accused the officer of slapping her, hitting her buttocks and breasts, and assaulting her driver. Though the alleged assault was not captured on video, she attributed that to network issues.
Videos circulating online showed a heated exchange between the influencer and an officer, sparking reactions on social media, with some users calling for an investigation.
On the status of the case, SP Adebisi said: “The matter is currently under investigation, and further updates will be communicated as necessary.”
The PUNCH