Assault in viral Video: 19-year-old Nancy petitions Bayelsa police

Nineteen-year-old Nancy Ifiedi, a small business owner from Imo state, has petitioned the Bayelsa police command after she was assaulted and stripped naked by her friends in an incident captured on video.

In her petition to Francis Idu, Bayelsa commissioner of police, Nancy narrated how she was lured, beaten and humiliated by four girls on August 31.

One of them filmed the attack and released it on social media.

Speaking in a Facebook live interview after submitting her petition in Yenagoa, Nancy said she was set up under the pretext of picking up her clothes from a dry cleaner.

“They called me that I should come and pick up my clothes from the drycleaner and that the clothes are ready,” she said.

“Getting to the place, they locked the door and started questioning me.

“They first took away my phone, questioned me that even before I could say a word, they started hitting me with hard objects.”

She identified her attackers as Becky, Blessing, Favour and Miracle.

According to her, Miracle recorded the video while Becky tore off her clothes. Another suspect, Kadi, allegedly cut her hair with a knife and threatened to stab her.

Nancy said her phone was destroyed, her SIM card thrown away, and she was left with multiple injuries.

“As for my health alone, I don’t even know if I’m having internal bleeding. I will be going for an X-ray tomorrow and a full body check-up to get a better treatment,” she added.

The victim expressed concern that the main suspect was released shortly after her arrest.

“I don’t know the person that signed surety for her that she will bring her by 10am today,” she said

“I don’t know the girl and the police officer allowed the girl to sign and they were released. As at today, their phones are switched off.”

A friend who accompanied Nancy to the police station described the handling of the matter as “suspicious”.

“When we finally got to the station, the officers initially denied any girl was brought there. When they finally arrived, she was so free. I even questioned her and she insulted me in front of the policeman,” the friend said.

The case has sparked outrage in Bayelsa, with civil society groups and residents calling on the police to ensure justice.

Helen Bob, technical adviser to the governor on girl child development, condemned the assault as “barbaric” and harmful to mental health.

“This behaviour is utterly unacceptable and barbaric, causing severe harm to victims’ mental health and well-being,” she wrote on Facebook.

“We must promote a culture of kindness, empathy, and respect, and take decisive action to prevent and address cyberbullying, ensuring a safer environment for all. Quite sad,”

Other commentators, including Precious Digitemie, leadership consultant Ayibadiepreye Isaac Benson, and activist Paul Eris, also demanded firm action.

Women groups such as the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), the Association of Women Against Gender-Based Violence, and the Do Foundation have also condemned the incident.

In a joint statement, Grace Orumieyefa, chairperson of NAWOJ Bayelsa, and Deintei Emmanuel-Otavie, assistant secretary, described the attack as “inhumane and a grave violation of dignity and rights”.

They called on the police to investigate and bring the culprits to justice.

Civil society groups said the case is a test of Bayelsa’s justice system and urged authorities to act without fear or favour.