One out of four girls in Nigeria experiences sexual assault before 18, according to data from the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). In 2020 alone, the Nigerian Ministry of Women Affairs said it received approximately 3,600 cases of rape through its reporting channels and that of law enforcement agencies.
Blessing Chinazam, who works in brand management, is painfully aware of this prevalence. Before August 2024, when her life took a rather devastating turn, she had always been extra cautious to avoid “funny places, people and situations that might expose her to harm”.
But on August 2, Chinazam’s world crumbled around her. She told FIJ that she became a victim of sexual harassment at the hands of an elderly acquaintance whom she respected — at least up until that day.
His name, according to Chinazam, is Labade Adedayo, a socialite and founder of Fabulous Prints, a prominent printing business located in Mokola in the heart of Ibadan, Oyo State. Due to how easily sexual harassment cases are swept under the carpet, Chinazam told FIJ that she is determined to get justice for herself. Considering the stories the data is telling, her fears are not misplaced.
Between 2019 and 2020, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) reported only 32 convictions for rape. In June 2020, the Inspector General of Police revealed that Nigeria recorded 717 reported rape cases between January and May.
Of these, 799 suspects were arrested, 631 cases were investigated and charged to court, while 52 cases were still under investigation. Despite the prevalence of these crimes, convictions remain scarce. Between 2022 and 2024 for instance, NAPTIP could only record 20 rape convictions.
FIJ has documented Chinazam’s experience and compared it with different accounts of key actors in her attempt to get evidence and secure a prosecution.
THE FATEFUL MEETING
Chinazam first met Adedayo on the job.
Her work in brand management and catering most times caused her to shuffle between Lagos and Ibadan. She crossed paths with Adedayo during an engagement involving the Nigerian Breweries in Alakia, Ibadan. That meeting, though seemingly routine, was the prelude to an experience she now hopes she would forget.
Initially, Adedayo had presented himself as courteous and professional. However, as time went by, Chinazam found his intentions to be more unsettling.
“I met him at the brewery earlier this year (2024) while on a job. We exchanged contacts, but I rarely responded to his texts,” she recounted.
“When I visited his office, he made advances that made me uncomfortable. He said he wanted to take care of me because I looked like someone who wasn’t taken care of. That was when I began feeling uneasy.”
Chinazam maintained contact with Adedayo, hoping to keep things professional. She told FIJ that she met him a few more times at his office in Mokola and at the Ibadan Golf Club, but with a firm boundary against anything intimate.
INVITATION TO TROUBLE
On the day of the incident, Adedayo invited Chinazam to accompany him to a burial ceremony scheduled for late in the evening.
Adedayo assured her it would be brief and that he would drop her off near her home afterwards. Reluctantly, and reassured by his promise, Chinzam agreed.
“He told me he’d bring me back and asked me to meet him at the Ibadan Golf Club,” Chinazam explained.
“I thought it was safe since it was just a burial ceremony. Besides, he had talked before about helping with business ideas and connecting me to people who could assist my career. Though I never took his offers seriously because of his advances, I decided to give him a chance that day.”
Chinazam, a naturally cautious person, had informed Onose Bona, her close friend and roommate, about her plans. She stays with Bona when she has to visit Ibadan. Recounting the events of that day, Bona told FIJ:
“I don’t know much about the man because she wasn’t close to him. She told me he had invited her to a burial ceremony. While she was there, we chatted about how the event was going. Later, as it started getting late, I asked how she planned to get home. She said the man would drop her off at UI.”
The burial passed without incident, but everything changed during the ride home. Adedayo suddenly informed Chinazam about a detour he had planned, claiming he needed to make a stop at a reservation.
“I reminded him of our agreement to drop me off at my place,” Chinazam recalled.
“But he brushed it off. Then he said he needed to pick someone up along the way. I didn’t object at first, but when we had driven for several minutes, I asked about this person. He said they had already been picked up and then changed direction completely.”
What came next was alarming. Adedayo mentioned they were heading to a hotel. From Chinazam’s narration, that was the straw that broke the camel’s back. The tension that had been brewing in the car since Adedayo mentioned the detour suddenly escalated and became a quarrel.
“Then I reminded him that I would not sleep outside and that I needed to return home. It is a hard rule for me. It escalated into an argument. He told me that I could not always get my way,” Chinazam said.
“At a point, he stopped responding to me and listening to anything I had to say. He kept driving. At that point, I didn’t know where we were, Because, like I said, I wasn’t familiar with a lot of places in Ibadan City.
“Well, it became a serious argument and in a fit of anger, he seized my bag, my phone and some of my accessories.
“I remember him pulling over, turning to me, and saying, ‘I could destroy your life and scar you forever’. I was terrified.”
NIGHTMARE ON JERICHO STREET
The car eventually pulled into a hotel later identified as Space Suits on Jericho Street in Ibadan. It was past midnight and it was clear to Chinazam that the situation did not bode well for her.
Seeking safety, she approached the security guard upon arrival.
“I asked him the name of the place and how I could leave, but I didn’t commit it to memory at the time. I only remember that there was a part of the facility that was still under construction,” Chinazam explained.
Unfortunately, there were no rooms available and Adedayo’s aggression began to escalate. The situation worsened when Chinazam insistently demanded her phone.
There was a physical confrontation and it took the intervention of the security official, the receptionist and someone else in the hotel to make the matter die down a bit.
“Things got physical at the time, he dragged my clothes, pulled me and forced me into the passenger’s seat. At this point, the security guard had to intervene. He warned us, especially him, against making noise because of the nature of their business. He told the security guard off. He continued dragging me. The receptionist came outside, with two other people,” Chinazam narrated.
Chinazam told FIJ that aside from the occasional attempt of the security official to calm the situation, the other two hotel staff, including the receptionist, stood and watched.
“They folded their arms and were just watching the whole scene. He seriously dragged me with my clothes and those guys just stood there and watched. I was crying my life out and the funny part? They were by the side, telling me to stop shouting. I was begging them not to allow the guy to take me away,” Chinazam said.
“He dragged at my clothes, pulling me and forcing me into the car. The security guard intervened briefly, but the receptionist and two other staff members stood by and watched.
“They said nothing, just folded their arms. Even as I begged them to protect me, they told me to stop making noise and assured me I’d be fine because he was a regular customer.”
Teary-eyed, she pleaded with the hotel staff for help; she wanted to stay away from Adedayo or find her way away from the hotel. She said she asked to stay with them in the compound until morning but they refused.
“I begged them to let me stay anywhere in the compound, away from him, but they refused. They claimed it might cost them their job. They said they knew him and that nothing would happen to me. It was almost dawn by then, and I was praying for a miracle,” Chinazam said.
The situation would eventually come to a head after hours of back-and-forth.
The receptionist and security officer, according to Chinazam’s narration, trying to diffuse the tension, attempted to convince her to leave with Adedayo. She would eventually succumb to the pleas by dawn when she felt a bit safe.
“They escorted me to his car, as though that would reassure me,” she recalled.
“I knew I wasn’t safe, but they insisted everything was resolved. At that point, I just wanted to get home and out of his reach.”
In an effort to ascertain the exact events of that evening from the staff’s perspective, FIJ met with the receptionist, a security guard, and the manager of the hotel on Jericho Street in August.
The first contact with the receptionist and security personnel was made on August 20. The receptionist, who flinched at the mention of the names, declined to comment and instructed the FIJ reporter to return the following day to speak with the manager.
Space Suites’ manager, a woman of mild fair complexion, also refused to provide her name or comment on the incident. When FIJ met her on August 21, she acknowledged awareness of the event but offered no details, saying only, “Go to the police station. It’s already being investigated. You can get whatever details you need from the police.”
On her way out of the hotel on Jericho Street, Chinazam did not know what was to come. She would have left Space Suites alone but she could not find her way around the city. She also did not have her purse, any money, her phone and a means of contacting family or friends.
She had feared that worse things could happen to her. But even fear, that innate emotion and her mental response to it, did not prepare her for what she would experience on the ride back to the area she planned to alight.
HELLISH JOURNEY BACK TO THE DROP POINT
The journey from Jericho Street to the University of Ibadan is a 27-kilometre stretch that should take about 30 minutes by car, provided there is no heavy traffic. But for Chinazam, that night was far from ordinary.
She recalled it as anything but straightforward, painfully drawn out and traumatic. She estimated that between Jericho and UI, they spent about an hour.
Chinazam also recalled how Adedayo had veered off routes she recognised deliberately, it seemed, to disorient her.
“I realised we weren’t heading straight when we got to Mokola Roundabout. From there, he turned like he was going towards Iwo Road. I kept asking him where he was taking me and telling him I wanted to go back to UI, but he just kept driving,” she said.
At some point, he took her through Premier Road, a place she would later learn, through police investigations, was notorious for terrible incidents. “I didn’t initially recognise the area,” Chinazam explained. “It wasn’t until later that I found out the name of the road and its reputation. By then, it was too late to turn back.”
Adedayo’s tone grew sharper as the drive dragged on. He hurled insults, accusing her of not being “smart” and threatening to “teach her a lesson.” Then, just as Premier Road stretched into darkness, he pulled over.
“When he stopped the car, I panicked,” Chinazam said.
“He came around to the passenger side, opened the door, and told me to get out. I questioned him because I didn’t know the place, but he dragged me out anyway.”
Her voice trembled as she recounted the rest. Adedayo made his intentions clear in a chilling statement: “He said I was going to make him cum.”
What followed was a nightmare. She told FIJ that he grabbed her clothes, locked them into her jacket, and tried to force himself on her. “He wanted to push his penis into my mouth,” she said. “When that didn’t work, he yanked me up with my clothes. I tried to run, but he dragged me back, pulling me across the ground.”
Pinned against the car, Chinazam struggled as he stripped her of her clothes. She fought, but her resistance was no match for his strength. “I started saying my last prayers,” she said. “I thought I was going to die right there.”
Chinazam said that Adedayo had pushed her head against the car seat, his grip suffocating, and then forced himself on her. When it was over, he barked orders at her to dress up, mocking her all the while.
“He told me to ‘look good’ as if nothing had happened,” she recalled.
For Chinazam, the night didn’t end when the car finally made its way back to UI. The scars — both visible and invisible — remained, haunting her long after the headlights faded into the darkness.
NO SEMEN DETECTED BUT SHE WAS MANHANDLED – DOCTOR
In the middle of her interview, Chinazam fell silent. She sat quietly for what felt like too long, her tears showing the weight of her story. It was clear she was afraid of reliving the horror.
When she spoke again, her voice was strained, trembling as she recounted the verbal abuse that came after the assault.
“The man waited for me to dress up before he drove,” she said. “I was shaking and crying while trying to put on my underwear. Then he started saying all sorts of lewd things. He said he would need to take antibiotics because his penis was hurting.”
Adedayo eventually drove her back to the University of Ibadan. He returned most of her belongings — her phone, wig, hairbrush, bag — but not everything.
“He dropped me at the university gate,” Chinazam recalled.
“He gave me back my things, saying I shouldn’t worry about the windshield, that he had ‘forgiven’ me. He even said he should have smashed my phone. I asked for my key and Powerbank, but he refused and told me to get out of the car. Then he drove off.”
Terrified and broken, Chinazam immediately sought medical help on the morning of August 3, 2024. She crossed the road to the nearest hospital, Doctor’s Polyclinic in Agbowo, Ibadan. There, she underwent testing for sexually transmitted infections and sought treatment for her injuries.
“Everything felt surreal,” she said. “I was devastated. I didn’t want to attract attention because I looked tattered. My clothes and shoes were damaged. I just wanted help, so I went straight to Dr. Poly’s Clinic. I was afraid of HIV, of everything,” she said.
Remi Oyekunle, the doctor on duty at the clinic, later described her condition to FIJ. He noted that while there were no visible internal injuries and no viable sperm was found during the examination, she appeared weak and dishevelled, with clear signs of manhandling.
“She wasn’t physically injured, but the indicators pointed to force,” the doctor explained.
“Someone can be forced without sustaining visible injuries. When she arrived, it was clear she had been through something traumatic. We wrote a police report, but I couldn’t provide the full medical report. It’s a matter for the police and the courts.”
Chinazam’s voice faltered as she described her pain and desperation when she arrived at the hospital.
“I begged them to give me something for HIV,” she said.
“I was in so much pain. My vagina hurt, and I couldn’t even sit properly. They called the doctor, who gave me an injection. He helped me dress properly because I couldn’t do it myself. I told him I wanted the man’s semen out of my body. I was so restless.”
The doctor calmed her, guiding her to the theatre for further care. Though no viable sperm was found, he documented his findings and placed her on a drip. For the first time that day, Chinazam found some relief.
“I finally managed to close my eyes and sleep,” she said. “They let me stay in one of their wards for a while. I was weak, but at least I felt a little safe.”
POLICE INTERVENTION
Chinazam’s journey to seek justice began with the counsel of a concerned nurse at the hospital. The nurse, recognising the urgency of her case, advised her to report to the police immediately.
She warned that any delay could ruin her chances of getting justice. Despite her shaken state, Chinazam knew she had to act, even though it required convincing the doctor to let her leave.
“The nurse told me to go straight to the police station,” she recalled. “She said waiting could ruin my chances of justice. But the doctor was hesitant. They said I wasn’t looking good and wanted me to stay longer. I had to beg to be allowed to go.”
Eventually, the doctor relented, and Chinazam, still visibly distraught, left the clinic. She paid part of her medical bills and made her way to the Sango Divisional Police Station. She was however referred to Mokola Police Station.
“At Sango, they listened to me but said the case needed to go to Mokola,” she explained.
“They helped me flag down a bike to take me there. I didn’t even have the strength to argue. I just wanted to do what was necessary.”
When she arrived at Mokola, the officers began making inquiries.
They called Adedayo, but he claimed that he was in Lagos.
“When they reached him by phone, he said he was in Lagos and couldn’t come,” Chinazam recounted.
“Then he called me directly and said I was trying to ruin his life. I couldn’t believe his audacity.”
Chinazam told FIJ that the case was escalated to the office of the commissioner of police and then to the police hospital in Ibadan.
“The CP spoke to him on the phone and told him to report himself at the station,” Chinazam said.
“He kept giving excuses, but the police assured me they wouldn’t let it slide. Meanwhile, they arranged for another medical test to back up my case.”
SILENT ALLIES
FIJ gathered that Chinazam’s case was transferred to Iyangaku Police Station and the Oyo State Magistrate Court in the same area. With the support of elderly relatives and state intervention, she was able to secure legal representation.
However, while the legal process picked up a decent pace, those who seemed to be on her side were less forthcoming when FIJ sought information to further its investigation. Efforts to obtain clarity were often met with reluctance or outright refusal.
For instance, during FIJ’s third visit to the Gender Office at Iyangaku Police Station on September 27, the officer in charge, Funke Ayenigbara, offered no assistance.
“This is not the right time to come,” she said.
“The case is over a month old already. If you need anything, you’ll have to wait for the court’s decisions.”
On a separate occasion on September 25, FIJ reached out to Oluwayemisi Banji-Kurojola, the lawyer assigned to Chinazam. However, she too declined to provide more details.
“Adedayo was arrested and detained by the Iyangaku Police Station,” Banji-Kurojola explained during a September 25 phone call.
“He applied for bail and was granted it. The magistrate court eventually moved the case to the High Court because it was beyond its jurisdiction. I’m not authorised to speak further or provide supporting evidence. The matter is sensitive and in court.”
FIJ encountered similar resistance at Space Suites Jericho, where the build-up to the incident took place. When FIJ requested access to the hotel’s CCTV footage, its management refused to cooperate.
At Doctor Polyclinics in Agbowo, the hospital that provided Chinazam with first aid and initial treatment, the doctor could not provide a medical report because of the police’s involvement.
FEAR OF MANIPULATION
Chinazam is concerned about the possibility of Adedayo or his associates attempting to manipulate the investigation.
She told FIJ that, shortly after reporting the incident, Adedayo began reaching out to her family and close acquaintances. She said he had been suggesting an out-of-court settlement through his lawyer.
“He contacted my sister, my fiancé and even my brother, offering them money to settle out of court,” Chinazam said.
“His lawyer also got involved, promising they’d pay any amount to end the issue. But I wasn’t interested in money. I just wanted justice.
“A prophet called me and said I should forgive him for my own good. At least, that’s how he introduced himself. Different people kept coming to plead on his behalf. For weeks, I couldn’t stand or use the stairs because of the pain. The doctor’s findings and medications are in the police report. But despite everything, they act as though he deserves sympathy.”
Her fears were exacerbated by some suggestions she had got from law enforcement agents and other key actors in the case. She recalled, for instance, how a female officer subtly suggested she take the settlement and move on.
“She told me, ‘Take the money and start your life afreshʼ,” Chinazam said.
On September 23, FIJ accompanied Chinazam to a mediator’s office, where it was confirmed that the Oyo State Ministry of Justice would be handling the case. However, the timeline for prosecution remained unclear. It was also confirmed that Adedayo had been released on bail.
The interview with Oyekunle, the doctor who provided first-hand care to Chinazam, lent credence to some of the fears she had expressed about possible manipulation. Beyond stating that he did not get enough to confirm rape, he went further to speak on the case in a manner that suggests he did not appreciate its gravity.
“Based on the severity of the offence, I think life sentences or extreme punishments are too harsh for just forcing someone to sleep with you. What about people who steal billions with a pen? They’re out there enjoying life. Is this fair?” he told FIJ.
“I think a perpetrator should face consequences, but the punishment should be reasonable — maybe five years in prison, if he’s guilty. Forcing a woman to sleep with you is madness, but I’m not a judge.
“I’d recommend she accepts a settlement if it’s offered. I tried to calm her down when she came here, but she was adamant about involving the authorities,” he added.
ADEDAYO NOT WILLING TO TALK
Following FIJ’s second visit to the Iyangaku Police Station, an attempt was made to reach Adedayo, the prime suspect.
Chinazam had provided FIJ with a phone number she believed could connect us to him. However, the number was unreachable.
On September 25, FIJ managed to secure a brief meeting with Adedayo’s secretary at his office on Gbadebo Street, Mokola, Ibadan. During the interaction, the secretary, who admitted being aware of the case, shared a few thoughts in defence of her boss:
“What if this is a setup? What if it’s a planned scheme? Could there be unresolved issues between them? I’ll speak to him and get back to you. He’s not currently on the ground, but I’ll find out if he’s open to a physical or virtual meeting,” she said.
Despite this assurance, Adedayo cancelled the scheduled interview. He later sent a text message to FIJ, declining to comment:
“Greetings. I understand you are seeking to interview me about a certain matter. However, I am not prepared to grant any interviews at this time. No comment on a matter that is already before a court of law. Many thanks.”
Meanwhile, in a recent conversation with Chinazam on Saturday, she disclosed that the case had been postponed until March.
Now living outside Ibadan, she admitted to being unfamiliar with the technicalities of the case but believed judicial delays were due to a backlog of work.
The lawyer assigned to Chinazam later confirmed to FIJ that no significant progress had been made in the case. According to the lawyer, there were delays from the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP).
“Once the DPP completes its work, I’ll provide updates. For now, the case remains in their hands,” the lawyer said on Saturday.
The DPP plays a crucial role in Nigeria’s criminal justice system, overseeing state prosecutions, advising law enforcement agencies and evaluating evidence to determine whether cases proceed to trial. The DPP also supervises subordinate prosecutors, decides on case discontinuation in the public interest (nolle prosequi) and ensures justice is upheld in criminal proceedings.
Blessing Chinazam is a pseudonym.
This report originally titled NIGHTMARE ON PREMIER ROAD: How Funeral Invitation Turned Into ‘Rape Horror’ for 25-Year-Old in Ibadan was culled from Foundation For Investigative Journalism Nigeria.
