Nigerian Police Reject Papaya Ex’s Ass∆ult Claims, Say She Fled Patrol Team After Refusing Search
Nigerian Police Reject Papaya Ex’s Assault Claims, Say She Fled Patrol Team After Refusing Search
Hundeyin said the incident unfolded just before 2am when officers on night patrol stopped a vehicle carrying five occupants — three men and two women — including Papaya Ex, for a routine search.
The Nigeria Police Force has issued a rebuttal to allegations by social media personality and Nollywood actress Abike Raheem, known as Papaya Ex, that she was physically assaulted by a police officer during a late‑night encounter in the Ajah area of Lagos State.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, shared another narrative in contrast to what was shared by the influencer during a TikTok livestream.
Hundeyin said the incident unfolded just before 2am when officers on night patrol stopped a vehicle carrying five occupants — three men and two women — including Papaya Ex, for a routine search.
According to the police spokesman, the influencer refused to allow the search and allegedly declared, “You cannot search my car. Don’t you know Papaya? Even your bosses know me.” Hundeyin said she then chose to proceed to a police station instead of cooperating, prompting an officer to sit in her vehicle after an initial refusal.
The police narrative further states that Papaya Ex’s vehicle led the way while the patrol team followed.
However, she allegedly instructed her driver to speed off abruptly, leaving the patrol van far behind.
The statement said the patrol team had to radio ahead to another unit to intercept her vehicle. It was after that interception, Hundeyin noted, that the influencer began her livestream.
Hundeyin’s statement emphasised that the Lagos State Police Command will take over the matter and provide further updates, while also noting that the group initially failed to present valid identification during the stop.
On Friday night, Papaya Ex went live on TikTok stating that what began as a routine stop escalated into brutality.
In her version, she accused the officer of hitting her in the face with a gun — leaving a visible mark — as well as assaulting her driver, forcibly seizing her mobile phone, and touching her buttocks and breasts inappropriately.
She appeared visibly shaken in the video and described the incident as something that “happens regularly” to residents in the Ajah area.
The influencer’s broadcast did not capture the alleged assault itself, which she attributed to poor network signal.
