PUNCH
A 22-year-old lady identified only as Bimpe (not her real name) shares with AYOOLA OLASUPO her ugly experience in the hands of three men who gang-raped her in the Igando area of Lagos
How old are you?
I’m 22 years old.
Did you have any strange feelings before going out that day?
No. There was no strange feeling because I’d never experienced something like that before.
Can you tell us about your journey before the incident happened?
It was on Sunday, January 26, 2025; I left Ayobo in Lagos State around 8pm and boarded a bus going to Igando. Although I didn’t take the bus from the park, I joined it after I alighted from a tricycle because the driver was shouting Igando. I met a guy and the driver inside the bus, and the driver was in a hurry, saying he could not carry another passenger because he wanted to pick up something somewhere.
He sounded like someone in haste. So, I quickly entered, and on our way, not long after we left Ayobo, we picked another guy up. So, I was on my phone when this whole scenario happened but I could not concentrate on my phone again because I used to feel like throwing up whenever I was inside a bus. I just put my phone inside the bag.
Was it an allergy or you just felt that way on that day?
That’s normal for me anytime I’m inside a car or bus. I often have motion sickness. So, I could not concentrate on my phone anymore, and I noticed that not quite long after the other guy entered the bus, I dozed off immediately.
Can you remember what happened thereafter?
When I opened my eyes, it was around 11pm, and I found myself at the back of the Igando BRT (Bus Rapid Transit). I was naked already and feeling pain all over my body. My genitals were swollen, and I had a peppery sensation there. All the active parts of my body were paining me and I was deeply feeling the pain. So, I knew that those guys must have done something to me.
Were the guys still there with you after you woke up?
Yes, they were inside the bus. So, after waking up and I found myself in that situation, they brought out an axe and threatened me. They said if I didn’t cooperate, they would hit it on my head or stab me. The three of them were making incantations and it sounded as if they were cultists. I could not remember the other things they said because I was scared and in shock. Later on, they asked me to unlock my phone, log into my bank app, and transfered all the money there.
How much was transferred from your account?
They transferred N500,000 from my Opay account.
Can you remember the name of the particular account money was transferred to?
Immediately I unlocked my bank app, they asked for my password. Everything, including the SIM card, was inside the phone. I’ve been trying to log into my account but the SIM was inside the phone, which was collected and taken away. They collected the phone, did everything by themselves, and gave it back to me to log out of my iCloud. They eventually took the phone away. So, I can’t know the name of the account the money was transferred to. I’m so traumatised talking about the incident.
How did you escape from the men?
They pushed me out of the bus naked after collecting my phone. So, when I got back in the morning, I texted TalesWithBlessed with my other phone at home. I explained everything to her and she advised me to go to the general hospital for some tests and examinations. At the hospital, they took my blood sample and I’ve received the results of the tests but they didn’t find anything serious. They also took a sample of their sperm deposit for a DNA test.
Can you still recognise their faces very well?
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