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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