IN THE EYES OF STORM!
Nigerian Musician, D’BANJ sneaked into my hotel room with a spare key, RAPED Me repeatedly and threatened my LIFE-BABATAYO Seyitan, assaulted lady cries out for help
….’I was kidnapped, coerced to recant my allegation, forced to delete my earlier tweet’
* ‘Kokomaster locked me up in police cell with criminals for speaking up against him’
* Bold to share story after artist joined in preaching against rape on Instagram page
*Angry Nigerians petition United Nations to remove D’banj as a Youth Ambassador
* Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police orders full probe of rape allegation with reference number CB.7000/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOl.484/801
* D’ Banj fires back angrily: “I have sued the lady (Babatayo Seyitan) for N100million for defaming my hard-earned reputation. I am innocent until proven guilty. Stop social media trial. #SAY no to rape and human rights violation”
*BY RAYMOND AMADI/ENTERTAINEMENT EDITOR, LAGOS
THIS IS SURELY NOT THE BEST OF TIME FOR OLADAPO DANIEL OYEBANJO, a famous Nigerian musician known in the entertainment industry around the world as D’Banj as his career is facing a web of sexual assault allegation raised by Babatayo Seyitan who narrated how the artist sneaked into her room under the cover of darkness having collected a spare key from the receptionist at Glee hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos on December 31, 2018. She claimed D’Banj groped her when he forcefully fingered her, threatened to throw her out naked except he raped her. She cried but the Kokomaster would not budge. He groped her and repeatedly raped her twice.
Seyitan, in a statement released on Tuesday, has come up with another revelation concerning the rape allegation against popular musician, D’banj, alleging that she was arrested and locked up in a police cell with criminals who violated laws. In the statement, Seyitan insisted that she was violated and also alleged that she was threatened by Dbanj’s team for going public with her story.
It will recalled that Babatayo’s friend, Benjamin Ese, earlier ‘let the cat out of the bag’ when he alleged that Dbanj raped his friend (Seyitan) on December 31, 2018, at Glee hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos.
An eye witness of her arrest, Kiki Mordi, claimed that Seyitan who recently accused the music star of molesting her in the past, was taken into detention on Tuesday, June 16. She was denied access to her lawyers, family and friends.
Her words: “Seyitan accused D’Banj a couple of weeks ago of sexual assault. Few days ago at about noon, Seyitan was detained at Sodipo Police station, Ikeja and was not granted access to friends, family or a lawyer lawyers. D’Banj and his team began to come after everyone including his ex-manager who corroborated Seyitan’s story. She noted that she has spoke with Seyitan’s lawyer and they have reason to believe she was been pressured to recant the rape accusations leveled against Dbanj.
“I spoke to her lawyers and they also have reason to believe she was been coerced to recant her accusations but with no one having access to her it was difficult to ascertain! They applied for bail.”
Angry Nigerians petition United Nations to remove D’banj as a Youth Ambassador
In view of the humiliation Seyitan had been going through, some angry Nigerians have petitioned the United Nations and collating signatories to disrobe D’Banj as a Youth Ambassador on a pressure group platform, which reads: “We call on the United Nations, and United Nations Women Africa organisations to remove Nigerian artiste Mr Dapo Oyebanjo as a youth ambassador and distance themselves from his actions following the sponsored kidnap of Seyitan who accused D’banj of rape and sexual assault which happened in 2018.
Women in Nigeria are increasingly at risk of sexual violence and the United Nations and United Nations Women Africa as an entity committed to the empowerment of women should not be seen to associate themselves with alleged rapists, abusers and kidnappers.
We ask the United Nations and United Nations Women Africa to support and lend their influence in helping Seyitan get justice for the abuse she endured in 2018 and the harassment and bullying in the past weeks.
We also call the attention of brands such as Heritage Bank Africa, One Africa, CSA Global and other establishments associated with Mr. Oyebanjo to end their commercial relationship with him and stand in support of victims of sexual violence.”
Nigeria’ Inspector General of Police orders full probe of rape allegation against Kokomaster
Meanwhile, attorney to the victim, Tommy Ojoge-Daniel petitioned Nigeria’s Inspector General, IGP, of Police. In response to a petition written to the IGP by Tommy Ojoge-Daniel,who accused music star, D’Banj of raping her in 2018, the IGP, Mohammed Adamu, ordered a probe into the rape allegations.
The order was contained in a letter with reference number CB.7000/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOl.484/801, signed by the Principal Staff Officer to the IG, DCP Idowu Owohunwa, and addressed to the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Area 10, Garki, Abuja.
Titled: “Re: Petition Against (1) Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo (Aka D’Banj) for Rape Indecent Sexual Assault, Attempted Assault on Miss Seyitan Temidayo, I forward herewith a copy of a letter dated June 5, 2020, received from Ojoge, Omileye and Partners on the above-underlined subject. I am to respectfully convey the directive of the Inspector-General of Police that you treat.
“Accept the assurances of my esteemed regards please,” the letter read. One Benjamin Ese, had in a Twitter thread in early June, told the story of how the Koko Master, as the music star is also called, allegedly raped her friend, Seyitan, at a hotel in December 2018. She said the sexual assault happened at an all-white party where D’Banj allegedly offered her friend some money to spend the night, which she rejected until he surprisingly showed up in Seyitan’s hotel room in the wee hours.”
D’Banj react:
However, the musician has debunked this allegation, saying that he is innocent of the rape allegation leveled against him until proven guilty. The 40-year-old singer reportedly said this few days ago when he shared a video of himself dancing on Instagram with a caption, “Innocent until proven guilty, Stop social media trial. #SAY no to rape and human rights violation”. D’Banj lawyer also claimed to have sued the victim for defaming the artist reputation for N100million.
D’ Banj made the demand through lawyers, Mike Ozekhome Chambers.
CERTAINLY, Good journalism costs a lot of money. Without doubt, only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government. We are ready to hold every corrupt government accountable to the citizens.
To continually enjoy free access to the best investigative journalism in Nigeria, we are requesting of you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavour.
By contributing to NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all without fear or favor.
Your donation is voluntary — please decide how much and how often you want to give. For offline donation, email: letters@nigeriastandardnewspaper.com or call +2348037128048 (Nigeria) or +16825834890 (United States of America)
donation