The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a 23-year-old man, Abidemi Emmanuel, in connection with the alleged rape of popular content creator Fems Thrift and her friend.
According to police reports, the suspect allegedly lured the victims with a fraudulent modelling opportunity at an apartment in Ajao Estate on February 8.
In a viral video shared on her TikTok page and sighted by Saturday PUNCH, Fems revealed that she was initially contacted on Instagram by a man who claimed to have recently returned from the United Kingdom to establish an international fashion brand in Nigeria.
She said the suspect offered her ₦140,000 for a modelling job and also requested her social media influence to promote the supposed brand. However, upon arriving at the location with her friend, she alleged that they were both sexually assaulted.
The incident triggered widespread outrage online, with thousands of social media users demanding swift action, eventually leading to the suspect’s arrest.
Confirming the development, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said the suspect is currently being detained while investigations continue at the command’s Gender Unit.
“The suspect, Abidemi Emmanuel, 23 years, is currently in custody while the investigation is ongoing at the Command Gender Unit. The case is being handled in line with global best practices for sexual and gender-based violence investigations, ensuring the protection, dignity, and welfare of the survivors,” she said.
Adebisi added that the suspect would be charged in court once investigations are concluded.
Recounting the incident, Fems disclosed that she and her friend arrived at the apartment around 11 a.m. on the day of the incident.
“When we entered the apartment, the room was empty. He claimed it was a space for content creation and that a makeup artist was on the way but had stepped out briefly. He then told me to take a shower before the makeup artist arrived, saying my skin was too oily for the shoot. He offered me a robe to change into,” she said.
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She further alleged that after bathing and changing into the robe, the suspect re-entered the room under the pretense of showing them how to lock the door.
“He showed us the key and told us to lock the door to feel safe before the videographer and other crew members arrived. Then he locked the door, stood in a corner, and I became scared. The man, after locking the door, brandished a knife and ordered us to undress. He tied our hands with socks and threatened to stab us if we resisted. He sexually assaulted us multiple times without protection,” she narrated.
Fems also claimed that before releasing them, the suspect confiscated their phones and forced them to transfer sensitive personal content to him via AirDrop.
“He told us to unlock our phones and transfer all our private photos, saying it was for his personal pleasure. He threatened me with my internet presence, saying if I tried to speak up, he would post all my private videos now and in the future,” she said.
The victims reportedly left the apartment between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. that same day.
Initially restrained by fear of blackmail, Fems later decided to speak out in pursuit of justice. Her account sparked massive online reactions, with users sharing the suspect’s images and persistently tagging police authorities until action was taken.