Several women recount terrifying encounters with a suspected e-hailing driver who allegedly targeted female passengers with robbery and sexual assault while evading police capture.
In case you missed it, a wave of disturbing testimonies has emerged from at least four women who allege they were robbed and sexually assaulted by a notorious e-hailing cab driver in Lagos. The suspect, who reportedly operates under multiple aliases including Femi, Benjamin, and Samuel, is said to have repeatedly preyed on stranded female commuters—primarily during the early hours of the day.
Victims revealed that the driver typically posed as a helpful e-hailing operator before luring his targets into the vehicle. He would then lock the doors and brandish weapons such as knives, guns, or even acid to intimidate the women.
One of the victims, Mary Okene, a digital marketer, recounted her harrowing experience from April 5 when she and a colleague were returning from work around 5 a.m. after their initially booked ride had an accident.
According to Okene, the suspect—posing as a Good Samaritan—offered them a lift to the Mainland. “He chatted with us, negotiated the fare, and seemed friendly,” she said. “But once we got to the Third Mainland Bridge, he parked suddenly, pulled out a knife, and demanded our bags. He said he wasn’t a cab driver—that this is what he does—and accused us of being sex workers.”
What followed was a terrifying series of assaults. “He put his hand under my dress, slapped me when I resisted, and then groped my colleague, who is my HR manager,” Okene said. “He threatened to pour acid on me and said he wanted to rape me. He even had a dildo in his car.”
She said he eventually took N100,000 and their phones. When she reported the case at the Ifako Police Station, an officer reportedly remarked, “This man again!”
Another victim, who identified herself only as Isi, said she encountered the same man on January 26 after booking a ride from Ikeja City Mall to Berger. After a brief conversation, he turned aggressive, slapped her, pulled a dagger, and demanded she strip. He allegedly strangled her, stole her phones, and forced her out of the car naked.
Similar cases were reported by two friends, Temi and Rachel, who were robbed at gunpoint on the Third Mainland Bridge, and Peculiar Daniels, an event hostess, who said the driver used acid threats during a violent robbery.
Victoria, another survivor, said the suspect assaulted her near Omole and made off with her ATM card and phone, describing the incident as the most traumatic experience of her life.
Despite multiple reports to the police, victims claim little action has been taken. However, Lagos State Police Command spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin said that the suspect had allegedly been arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for an unrelated drug offence.
“We took some of the victims to the NDLEA, and they identified someone who resembled the suspect,” Hundeyin said. “But we can’t proceed until the NDLEA concludes their prosecution.”
However, NDLEA spokesman Femi Babafemi disputed the identification, saying, “The suspect we have in custody was presented to the victims, and they could not confirm he was the attacker. It’s likely a case of mistaken identity.”
With the alleged predator potentially still at large, victims are left feeling vulnerable and frustrated, calling on authorities to intensify efforts to ensure justice is served.