Lagos Woman Allegedly Assaulted by E-Hailing Driver
Over Air Conditioning Dispute
A woman in Lagos, identified as Aderemi, has accused
an e-hailing driver, Samson, of assaulting her following a disagreement over
the use of air conditioning during a ride.
Recounting the incident, Aderemi said she booked a
ride from Ikoyi to Ogudu around 2 AM on Sunday. Shortly after the trip began,
she noticed the air conditioning was off and asked the driver about it. He
explained that the AC was not in use due to low gas levels. Initially, she
opted to cancel the ride, but after the driver pleaded—stating he had already
used fuel to reach the pickup location—and considering the late hour, she
decided to proceed.
Dispute Over Payment Escalates
Upon arriving at her destination, Aderemi asked for
the driver’s account details but insisted she would not pay the full fare since
the service was incomplete. This led to a heated exchange, with the driver
demanding full payment.
The situation escalated when the driver parked his car
and stepped out. Aderemi followed, still requesting his account details.
Instead of providing them, the driver allegedly started making a scene,
questioning how much she intended to pay before sharing his details.
At one point, he reportedly pointed a finger at her,
prompting her to push his hand away. In response, he allegedly slapped her.
“He told me I had to pay the full amount while
pointing at me. I pushed his hand away, asking him to stop. The next thing I
knew, he slapped me twice. I took off my wig and shoes and retaliated. He then
pushed me, grabbed my wig, put it in his car, and started reversing,” she
recounted.
Realizing what was happening, Aderemi ran to the gate
and asked security personnel to block the driver from leaving. When he saw that
the gate was locked, he allegedly got out of his vehicle and attacked her
again.
“He dragged me, strangled me, and punched me
repeatedly in the face. I couldn’t believe how far it had escalated. The
security guard, an elderly man, tried to intervene but couldn’t do much. The
driver kept punching me as if he were fighting another man,” she said.
The matter was eventually taken to the police station.
Driver's Side of the Story
Reacting to the allegations, the driver, Samson,
provided his version of events. According to him, he had informed Aderemi
before picking her up that his air conditioning was not functioning due to low
gas.
“I called her and she asked if my AC was working. I
told her I was out of gas, and the fuel I had would only be enough for the
trip. She had already canceled one ride before, so I asked if she was okay
proceeding without AC. She complained but eventually agreed,” he explained.
He stated that the ride itself was uneventful, as they
both remained silent throughout. However, upon reaching her destination,
Aderemi refused to pay the full fare, arguing that the ride was not up to
standard. He reminded her that he had disclosed the AC issue beforehand and
even offered her the option to cancel.
Samson said he pleaded with her to pay so he could
leave, as he was unfamiliar with the area, but she remained adamant. At one
point, she removed her wig and walked into her house, dismissing him.
“I took her wig and said, ‘If you’re ready, you’ll pay
me.’ She then started insulting me and my mother. She went to the security
post, told them not to let me leave, and suddenly rushed at me. I’m not a
madman who would hit a woman without reason,” he claimed.
According to Samson, the confrontation turned physical
when Aderemi grabbed him and tore his clothes.
“She said this was her area, and I couldn’t do
anything. She threatened to call people to deal with me. She even grabbed my
private parts. The pain was unbearable, so in self-defense, I slapped her. That
was when she picked up a metal object and hit me on the neck and face,” he
alleged.
Following police intervention, the matter was settled
as a case of mutual assault. However, Samson stated that he has been receiving
threats since the incident.
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