The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, has dismissed the assault allegations by social media influencer, Abike Raheem, popularly known as Papaya Ex, during a late-night encounter with Police officers in Lagos.
Naija News reports that she shared her account during an emotional live session on TikTok on Friday, in which she said the incident occurred while she was on her way home from a movie shoot.
According to her, what started as a calm interaction with the officer soon turned into a heated confrontation.
Papaya Ex alleged that the officer hit her in the face with a gun and also assaulted her driver.
She further claimed that she was touched inappropriately during the encounter and that her phone was taken from her by force.
However, in a terse statement via his 𝕏 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.
Hundeyin further explained that Papaya Ex’s vehicle drove ahead while the patrol team followed behind, but the social media influencer instructed her driver to speed off, leaving the patrol vehicle far behind.
He wrote, “The part before she went live Just before 2am, police on night patrol stopped a car conveying three men and two women and asked to check the car. She bluntly refused saying, ‘You cannot search my car. Don’t you know Papaya? Even your bosses know me.’
She chose to rather go to the station after which an officer sat in her vehicle, not before an initial refusal. Her vehicle was in front while the patrol vehicle was following behind. 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… @LagosPoliceNG
will take it from here.”
Sharing further details on the incident, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, recounted the encounter between Papaya Ex and the police officers.
Adebisi wrote, “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.
“The officers thereafter requested that they proceed to Ajah Police Station for proper identification and documentation. An (ASP) joined them in 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. The matter is currently under investigation, and further updates will be communicated as necessary.”
