Nigeria: Papaya Ex Writes Ajah Dpo As Police Dispute Assault Account

24 February 2026

Her remarks have renewed scrutiny of police conduct during a late-night stop in Ajah.

Controversial social media influencer and actress, Abike Raheem, famously known as Papaya Ex, has written an open letter to the DPO of Ajah Police Station, Femi Akinpeloye.

It follows her recent allegations that a police officer assaulted her while she was returning from a movie set.

Last Friday, Papaya, during an emotional TikTok live session, accused the officer of physical violence and inappropriate conduct.

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She alleged that the officer struck her in the face with a gun, assaulted her driver, and touched her inappropriately.

"@nigeriapoliceforce, an officer beat me up right inside my car.

He used his gun on me. Please, I'm at Ajah, y'all, I'm bleeding," she wrote on Instagram.

Clarification

Following her allegations, Assistant Commissioner of Police Benjamin Hundeyin provided some clarification on how the incident unfolded.

In a post on his X account, the police officer hinted that Papaya left out what transpired before she went live.

According to him, just before 2 a.m., police on night patrol stopped a car carrying three men and two women and asked to check it.

The actress, he said, bluntly refused, saying, 'You cannot search my car. Don't you know Papaya? Even your bosses know me.'

"She chose to, instead, 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 would lose them. The police had to radio the patrol team far ahead to intercept them. Then the live began," he wrote.

Open letter

In a latest development, the 'Owambe Thieves' actress has detailed the events that happened in an open letter to Mr Akinpeloye.

According to her, on Friday, 20 February, she was at Ajah Police Station from 1 a.m.until about 10:30 a.m.

She said that despite being tired, shaken and confused, she still cooperated when asked to write her statement.

She wrote, "Before you even arrived, the officer who first assaulted me came to meet me and said I shouldn't be angry. When I was leaving around 10:30 a.m., he came back and said he didn't know I was Papaya Ex or that I was popular. So how on earth did I claim to have boasted about being papaya ex or knowing their bosses?

"So if I wasn't popular, would this have been buried completely? Later, my lawyer and I saw a tweet from the PPRO (that said I didn't allow them to search my car / I know their bosses) when we were leaving the station around 10:30 a.m. Something that was never mentioned inside your office when you questioned us. When my lawyer asked you about it, you said the police had to write that to "cover themselves" so the matter would die down. Cover themselves from what?"

Denial

Papaya, who produced the movie 'Hours Before Dawn', further denied the claims that she kidnapped the police officers in her vehicle or that she cut her own face to lie.

"It was around 1 a.m. They were intoxicated. They demanded money I did not have. Because I couldn't give them money, I was beaten. My papers are intact and up to date, but they assaulted me after! The officer snatched my phone, said it had fallen, and picked it up. I don't know what they might have put on my phone because it was unlocked.

"Three men assaulted me. My driver was assaulted while driving. My personal assistant/sister was also assaulted. She's very young, and I can't imagine what she feels. I cannot sleep. All my body aches, the scenario won't leave my head," Papaya added.

She further alleged that the police have promised to keep postponing the case until it dies down and everyone forgets.

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