Actress, host, and radio presenter, Dorcas Shola-Fapson, also known as Ms. DSF claimed that she narrowly escaped being abducted and raped by a Taxify driver on January 25th.
As stated by her, the Taxify driver by the name of Udeh Henry Nnaemeka reportedly locked her in the car and drove her to a random house and tried to force her out of the car. Dorcas recorded the whole thing on her Snapchat for her followers to see as evidence of what happened that night.
In the video, Dorcas shows Mr. Nnaemeka driving her to an undisclosed location and stopping the car. The Taxify driver then gets out of the car to open the gate and Dorcas takes his keys.
Soon you see Dorcas spraying him with pepper spray as he holds the door on her leg as she tells him to let her out. Dorcas continuously sprays him with pepper spray as she calls him a rapist.
The video ends with Dorcas somehow managing to get out of the car threating to deal with Mr. Nnaemeka, which later turns into her screaming as she claims that he grabbed her by her waist and neck as she tried to get away.
Dorcas shared receipts from the trip, the photo of the alleged driver, and the pepper spray she used on her Snapchat.
Watch Ms. Shola-Fapson's account below:
Hereâs The Full Video Of Miss Dorcas Fapson Narrating Her Ordeal With The Taxify Driver Who Assaulted Her. pic.twitter.com/FSJQ3onCYX
— GIDITRAFFIC (@Gidi_Traffic) January 26, 2018
There was speculation about what was really stated in the muted portion of Dorcas's video, which led her to release the unmuted version of that portion below.
Finally the muted part of the video has been unmuted. This part seems to have bugged y'all out. pic.twitter.com/9CbdzCd1L1
— Eric Okafor (@KneWKeeD) January 27, 2018
Taxify was made aware of the issue and released a statement saying:
"Early today, we received troubling news of an incident that occurred between a (male) driver-partner and a (female) rider on our platform where allegations of harassment and violence have been made.
Upon receiving news of this incident, we immediately contacted the rider and expressed our concern to her in person. Our lawyers have petitioned the State Intelligence Bureau and the Nigerian Police Force to take up the matter. The incident is currently under investigation with these authorities and we are giving all the necessary cooperation.
We at Taxify are committed to providing reliable ride experiences for our riders. Creating a safe and healthy experience is an absolute part of this.
We have zero tolerance for any and all forms of harassment and violence.
It is our policy to immediately ensure that upon such serious allegations – as in this case – the driver's account and access to the platform are taken away, which we have done.
We will be following the case with the State Intelligence Bureau and the police keenly. We are determined to help see it to a just resolution."
Mr. Nnaemeka took to social media to give his account of the night through a Whatsapp message. His statement said:
Let me start by saying thank you all for your support so far. My name is Henry Nnaemeka and I’m neither a rapist nor a kidnapper. This is my story. I’m a taxify driver/ partner, on Thursday the 25th of January 2018 between the hours of 12 midnight and 1am, I was on my way home from work when I received a taxify rider request from an Ibrahim Eletu Way Which was coincidentally where I was at that time and also same estate I stay, I decided to take that last trip before I go home to rest.
On getting to the pick-up location to pick up the rider, (Miss Shola Fapson) she got in my vehicle and just as I started the trip I noticed there wasn’t a destination for the trip so I politely asked her for the destination to know where I’m going to and if it will be convenient for me at that time of the night but she refused to tell me and instead asked me to drive out that she will tell me later, I politely refused and asked severally for the destination but she wouldn’t tell me rather she ordered me in a harsh tone to “Move this car”!
On hearing this, I was surprised why she would hold back her destination from me and also ordered me to move the car. It was at this point I told her I wasn’t going anymore, I ended the trip immediately and asked her to come down from the car since we were still at the pick-up location but to my greatest surprise she refused to come down and then started making some phone calls in Yoruba Language to some people whom I didn’t know disclosing our location to them.
At this point, I got scared, and was trying to be on the safe side so I drove the car to the front where the security light was on and as can get help from people just in case of any plotted plan to snatch my car, which was a few seconds from the pickup location, this is on the same street where I live and like a stone throw from my house. On getting to the safe place, I came down from the car and politely opened the door and gently asked her to come down from the car.
She blatantly refused again and started with her phone calls again. It was at this point I overheard her conversation on the phone saying she has my car keys and gave out location again to the unknown person at the other end of the phone, I felt really threatened and agitated, at this point because I couldn’t understand why she would take my car keys and then disclose our location to people I didn’t know. I had to struggle with her to get my car keys from her hands. It was in the process of struggling with her, she sprayed a chemical substance (pepper spray) in my eyes.
I succeeded in getting my keys from her but before I could struggle with my sight and call for help she took off and was nowhere to be found. Some concerned residents who heard me shout and call for help came to my rescue, my sisters later came out when they heard voices outside. It took me about 45 mins to regain my sight clearly and was taken to my apartment to get some rest only for me to wake up this morning and receive loads of phone calls from friends and family saying I’ve been labeled a KIDNAPPER AND RAPIST. However, the issue has been reported to Taxify and the necessary steps have been taken as shown in their press release.
l wish to thank friends and family that have stood by me thus far.. I cannot fathom why this lady decided to tarnish my image and reputation in such a despicable way….. I am but a young average Nigerian graduate that struggles on the street of Lagos to earn a legitimate living and l must say, l have been severely traumatized by this devilish allegation…..l value and respect d dignity of women and will never abuse it, not now not in d future….. I demand justice!!
The Taxify Driver responded to the Allegations about the Rape Case. And what actually Transpired
Read ð pic.twitter.com/z5ZEMwyU7A
— SubDeliveryZone (@SubDeliveryZone) January 25, 2018
Mr. Nnaemeka even went as far as to seek legal action against Dorcas and is suing her for 5 million naira for assault and accusing him of kidnap and rape and tarnishing his image. His lawyer, Uchenna Obi, released a statement to Dorcas saying:
We are solicitors to Mr. Udeh Henry Nnaemeka (our client) on whose firm instruction we write you.
We have been duly briefed of the matter between you (DORCAS SHOLA FAPSON) and our client, wherein you maliciously described him as a rapist and a kidnapper. Our client is a Taxify driver/ partner, and a young Nigerian trying to make a legitimate living. Our client informed us as that you made libelous publications against his person which was published on different online news media and blogs. That in the early hours of the 25th day of January 2018 on his way back to his house around Ibrahim Eletu Way, Jakande Lekki Area of Lagos, he got a request on his Taxify app and came to the location to pick you.
He further informed us that when he started the trip, he noticed that you had not indicated your destination, which would inform his decision to make the trip or not, was not answered. This caused a disagreement between both of you, which made him end the trip and he politely asked you to alight from his car so that he could go home. You, however, refused to alight from his car which further aggravated your disagreement.
You then went on to assault our client with some poisonous chemicals, and went online to maliciously brand our client a ‘RAPIST and KIDNAPPER’ and had some published all over the social media with his pictures thereby defaming our client and damaging his reputation/person. This publication represents our client as an irresponsible person, a criminal and a social misfit to reasonable members of the society. Your actions have cost our client a great deal to with loss of his means of livelihood, goodwill, and good reputation.
We therefore on his behalf, demand that you immediately issue a press conference retracting the libelous publications and also make a public apology which must be given equal publicity with your publication and shall be made to be published on two national dailies and on all online news media and blogs where these libelous statements were published. It is our further demand that you pay to our client the sum of N=5,000,000.00 (five million naira) in damaged being compensation to assuage the irreparable loss of goodwill and the trauma he has suffered as a result of your malicious publication.
TAKE NOTICE that after 5 days of the receipt of this letter including the day of service you fail to adhere to the above demands, we shall without further recourse to you seek redress at the court of law and petitioning all appropriate agencies to seek justice for our client.
You are advised to seek wise counsel in the handling of this matter.
Yours truly,
For: Chancellor Chambers
Uchenna Obi, Esq.
Social media has been in a frenzy since the incident. The situation has sparked a huge debate amongst Nigerians including celebrities such as MC Galaxy, Tunde Ednut, Simi, and comedian Bovi in whether Dorcas is telling the truth or not. While some believe Dorcas, others do not as they believe that the Taxify driver is innocent. This divide has led to various topics and debates about rape culture and misogyny in Nigeria.
That taxify driver might not be a rapist/kidnapper but he definitely is very very stupid. He picked a young woman in the middle of the night from point A and drove her close to his house instead of back to Point A, all because she didn't give him location, is that not madness?
— Eric Okafor (@KneWKeeD) January 26, 2018
Even in my grief, I feel for that Taxify driver. He has been labelled a rapist and denied work for no more than a serious disagreement at the wrong time of the day. To label every man a rapist at the first sign of a disagreement is dangerous. But continue.
— Babanla (@biolakazeem) January 27, 2018
Your Uber or Taxify driver has the right to withdraw their service if they wish not to render it anymore.
If that happens, you have to get out of their vehicle.
— Uncle Jaj. (@JajaPhD) January 26, 2018
Peopleâs reaction to Dorcasâ story actually has me confused. None of what the Taxify guy did was normal. If Dorcas wasnât able to think on her feet, itâll be an entirely different story. One with a worse ending.
— Dénola Grey (@DenolaGrey) January 26, 2018
There is literally video evidence of DSF fighting off a taxify driver who tried to abduct and rape her. As in you can hear her screams and see her fighting him off. Nigerians still do not believe her. The rape culture runs that deep.
— u.u (@KhaleesiNU) January 25, 2018
I'm not in support of Dorcas neither do I stand with the taxify driver.. But someone was being kidnapped/raped and brought out her phone to do video......Wait! Here's the kicker, she captioned every snap without making even one typographical error....under duress! pic.twitter.com/IbQuIc1oxk
— Funny Dude (@JC_Jokes) January 26, 2018
Small dragging, Simi deleted tweetðð but screenshot twitter is faster than her thoughts pic.twitter.com/bA3TpFsHw2
— Mr. Ayo Adams (@theayoadams) January 26, 2018
LMAOOOOOOO
- @mcgalaxyMCG reminds @Ms_DSF how she publicly called him a liar 6 weeks ago
[IB9JA] pic.twitter.com/3XyUHb8AtW
— SubDeliveryZone (@SubDeliveryZone) January 26, 2018
"@walecruize: @Gidi_Traffic Bovi reveals actress Shola Fapson biggest crime. #GIDITRAFFIC pic.twitter.com/TNFOmLDUlq
— GIDITRAFFIC (@Gidi_Traffic) January 30, 2018
