By Tapre Timine, Bayelsa
Fresh controversy has erupted in Bayelsa State after a 19-year-old businesswoman, Miss Ifedi Nancy, claimed that police released one of the prime suspects accused of brutalising and stripping her in a viral video.
Reports indicate that the suspect, Kadi Bae, a 200-level student at the Federal University Otuoke (FUO), was freed despite being identified as a principal attacker. The incident has intensified public concern over justice for victims of gender-based violence in the state.
In a petition to the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Nancy described how she was lured, assaulted, stripped naked, and humiliated by four girls, while one filmed the attack and shared it on social media.
Speaking in a live Facebook session after submitting her petition, Nancy alleged that she was deceived into collecting her clothes, only to be ambushed, beaten with hard objects, and stripped. She also reported that her phone was destroyed, her SIM card discarded, and that she sustained injuries including suspected internal bleeding.
Nancy named the attackers as Becky, Blessing, Favour, and Miracle, claiming that Kadi wielded a knife to cut her hair and threatened her life if she raised the alarm, while Miracle filmed the assault. She added that despite Kadi’s arrest, she was released on surety.
She recounted: “I came to see my friend because of her signing out at Federal University Otuoke on August 29, 2025. I stayed behind with Becky at Edepie School Road. They called me to pick up my clothes from the drycleaner. When I arrived, they locked the door and began questioning me.
“They took away my phone and started hitting me with hard objects. Miracle recorded, Becky pulled off my clothes, and Kadi cut my hair with a knife, threatening to stab me. My health is uncertain, and I will undergo an X-ray and full body check-up tomorrow.”
A close friend of Nancy also criticised the police, alleging officers initially denied knowledge of the suspects and released them without proper procedure. He said: “It was like a mind game. When the suspects were arrested, they left the station before us in the police van. When we finally arrived, the officers initially denied anyone had been brought in. Eventually, the suspect was free and even insulted me in front of police.”
Civil society groups and women advocates have strongly condemned the attack. Technical Adviser to the Governor on Girl Child Development, Dr Helen Bob, described the assault as “barbaric” and damaging to victims’ mental health. She called for decisive measures to tackle gender-based violence and cyberbullying.
Leadership consultant Amb. Dr Ayibadiepreye Isaac Benson described the case as a test of Bayelsa’s justice system, emphasising that “no oppressor is untouchable and no child expendable.” He stressed the need for impartial action to protect the state’s most vulnerable.
Other commentators, including Precious Digitemie, Comrade Fortune Banigo-Lawal of RATTAWU Women’s Wing, Seiyefa Samuel, and Osuar Daniel Shagari, demanded that the suspects be prosecuted to deter similar incidents. Digitemie said: “Condemning the act publicly is only the first step. The culprits walking free is the real concern. In a functioning justice system, those responsible would face serious penalties for aggravated assault.”
The incident continues to spark debate across social media and among Bayelsa residents, raising urgent questions about accountability, law enforcement, and protection for victims of gender-based violence.
