HER KITO STORY
EDITOR’S NOTE: Remember this kito alert post that was made to alert lesbians and bisexual women to a twitter account preying on the lesbian community? Well, the lady who was victimized by the account has spoken out about her ordeal.
And here it is.
***
So I was asked to join a group chat to link up and meet with lesbians and bisexual women by a twitter account on my Twitter burner account. The Twitter account has the handle @LezNiger. I was told that the group chat was extremely confidential and secure, so I joined.
On Sunday, January 5th, a woman from the group messaged me and asked for us to hangout. She was a member of the group, and so, I didn’t see the harm in that. Her name was Blessing.
We set a time and a place to meet up, with the understanding that any other plans would be attended to after we’d met.
Around after 12 in the afternoon of that fateful day, a Sunday, I got to the place where we were supposed to meet. She told me to wait in front of a bank around Coker, Orile, that she would come and get me after I’d notified her of my arrival.
When I got to the bank, I called her and told her I was there, and she told me she was coming to pick me up.
I waited for up to fifteen minutes. I was about to call her again, when this man dressed in army clothes walked up to me and said his name was Sunday. I even thought he was trying to ask me out, so I wasn’t paying any attention to him as he was talking.
That is, until he asked what my business with Blessing was. This got my attention fast and I turned fully to him, all the while wondering exactly what was going on. The first thought that went through my mind was that Blessing was trying to prank me or something. I told the man that we were supposed to chill and hang out.
He said that Blessing’s father is a high ranking colonel in the army and that he had her phone dualized so that he could see every message that his daughter sends and receives. Still unsure where this was going, I simply said OK. Then he said that Blessing linked up with a girl the previous day and they did “all sorts of rubbish”, but that her father was in a meeting when this happened and hadn’t been able to catch her.
But that day, he’d read her Blessing’s chats with me, another girl that she was supposed to meet up with, and so, he had dispatched five army men to pick up Blessing and whoever she was meeting with that day up.
At this point, I was starting to get really scared because I thought this man was for real. That he was indeed an army man speaking facts. I have a strong aversion to uniformed men, especially army men – so, I was really scared at this point.
This man then said that they’d also received instructions to strip whoever they found meeting up with Blessing naked on the road before arresting Blessing and her friend and remanding them to court for lesbianism. As he said this, a thought came into my mind: that I hadn’t done anything wrong. That I’d have to be caught first before anything that has to do with court could become a possibility.
As I was thinking this, he said that before I say anything, I should know that this was an order from above and that there was nothing he could because he was just following instructions. And that failure to follow those instructions would cost him his job and his life.
I was scared and confused and feeling really out of my depth here.
This man then asked me how old I was, saying that if I added 14 years to that, how old would I be by the time I got out from prison. He asked me if this was how I’d decided to lose my life and my loved ones. He seemed at once threatening and safe. And because I’d gotten so flustered with fear and wasn’t thinking straight, I began to plead with him, asking him to help me out. I really just wanted to go back home.
We were still in front of the bank, so he said that I was being recorded and the only thing he could do for me was take me to the person in charge of the mission for me to talk to. He said the other army men had Blessing with them in a hotel room, and that she was under duress when she spoke to me earlier.
And so, I made my first mistake. I got on a bike with him. And he directed the man to a hotel down the street. That was where I saw the second army man. We got there and Sunday, the army man with me, got down from the bike to talk to the other guy, who he told me was the person in charge. This really was the chance for me to get away. Simply turn and take off or something. But I was honestly really scared. So, I just stood there and watched them talk to each other. Their talk didn’t last long, before Sunday led me into the reception of the hotel and got a key, saying that we were going to talk privately, and that he’d gotten permission from the guy in charge to give him like an hour with me before they decide to come take me of to court to charge me.
We got to the room. We entered. He locked the door and put the key in his jacket.
He told me to sit down and explain my case and exactly what happened to him. I narrated everything to him. He took my purse, opened it and upended its contents on the bed – phone, ATM card, perfume oil, money and some other knickknacks.
He asked me if I could whip up 2 million naira for my bail, that that would be the only amount that would be able to get me out of this. I was stunned speechless by this. I couldn’t even get up to 150k to save my life, and this guy had simply plucked 2 million from thin air?!!! I told him I absolutely couldn’t, and he asked me how much I could come up with. I told him 50k. I had 65k in my account and I could part with 50k at that point so I could just go home.
He said that would not be enough, that Blessing’s father had given him 100k and his superior 150k for this mission. That for them to even consider releasing me against Blessing’s father’s instructions, I had to match up or surpass the amount they were paid. That was 250k. I didn’t have that kind of money.
I told him I could get extra 10k to give to him. He said he’d have to go withdraw it. I said I could just transfer it to him and he asked me if I thought he was stupid. That I was offering to transfer the money so I could trace the money back to him later on. I honestly wasn’t thinking this. I just wanted to do things fast so this nightmare could end quickly and I could go home.
Before he went out to withdraw the money, he told me to strip. I initially resisted, wondering why I should strip. And he said that this was what he was originally supposed to get me to do, and that his superior would be coming over soon, and that he didn’t want him to come in here and see me still fully clothed.
So, I began to take my clothes off until I was very naked before this man. I felt shame crawl all over my body as he eyed me up and down. I wanted to cry.
Picking up my phone, he asked for the password and after he got in, he went straight to my WhatsApp. He asked me who my lesbian friends were, and I refused to tell him. So he searched out some chats by typing in some keywords. He randomly began chatting up my lesbian friends, telling them I was horny and that they should come and meet me where I was. Some immediately blocked me, while others quietly declined. I could tell what he was doing wrong, even if he didn’t know it. I never chat with abbreviations, and my friends know this. And that was all he was using to chat with them as me.
Then he went to my Recently Contacted that were not lesbians or bisexual girls, and chatted them up as me, saying I was caught in lesbian acts in a hotel, that the hotel called the police and that I was naked and chained and was about to be taken to court. He told them that the babe I was caught with had paid 200k and all I had on me was 50k. A friend of mine promptly sent 10k to my account.
All this was happening while I stood by the wall, still naked like he instructed.
Then he went out of the room to make the withdrawal, making sure to lock the door.
Thirty minutes later, he was back. He was still on my phone. He was on a chat with a guy friend of mine now, telling him that my mother had fainted and needed to be rushed to the hospital and that I needed 10k. The friend didn’t respond.
When he came back, he had with him a pack of condoms. He took off his clothes and came up to me. And then he began to touch me all over my body. I felt like vomiting as I stood there, enduring his touches. He told me to touch him and I did. Then he took me to the bed and raped me.
After that, he told me to put on my clothes. He put his on. And we left the room. When we got outside, I told him I needed my phone to call my mum, and he responded by asking me if I was telling him what to do, that I should shut up. He asked me how much brought me to Orile. I told him. He gave me the transport fare and told me to go wait for him at the bank where I’d been waiting for Blessing earlier, that he was coming to withdraw some more money from my account.
I got there. And I waited. I just sat there, feeling cold and dirty and empty. And I waited.
Until someone, who probably noticed my despondency, came over and asked me what I was doing there. I told him that my phone was taken from me and my account cleared. He told me to go to the bank to try and block the account. But that day was Sunday and so, this wasn’t something I could do.
At this point, I realised this man, the man who stole from me and raped me, was not coming like he said he would. I got up and went on home. And I told my family that I was robbed of my phone and money. I am not very close to my mother, so I didn’t tell her I was raped as well. She however commiserated with me over the loss of my phone and money.
Thereafter, I logged into my burner Twitter account using my brother’s phone, and informed my friends to block my account and also chat up the twitter account @LezNiger that added me to the WhatsApp group to tell them to remove Blessing. It was apparent to me now that she was working with people who were setting women up.
I tried to chat up the twitter account myself, but I found out I’d been blocked. It was then that it occurred to me that this was all planned from the very beginning. That this account, filled with woman and men working together, specializes in luring lesbians into the WhatsApp group just to entrap them and victimize them.
I am presently still using my brother’s phone to chat and talk with people. He allowed me connect my WhatsApp line through WhatsApp Business to his phone. So whenever he’s not using his phone, I make use of it. This is until I can get myself a new phone.
I also went to a pharmacy and after explaining that I was raped, I got some drugs, which I took for a week.
All things considering, I am now doing OK. And I am staying positive that this incident notwithstanding, my year turns out for the best.
Written by The Wild One
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30 Comments
Valley
January 18, 06:15Jezz, this z the saddest thing I have read so far this year, I am so sorry darling that you went through all that,I pray you heal?? am sending you love.
Bernand
January 18, 22:38I am so sorry for your harrowing experience dear. I am a lawyer and I know that Rape is a criminal offense which has no exception to it. The Same sex Act does not provide or legalizes correctional rape and it’s merely to prohibit same sex marriages and other union. Rape is a criminal offense and will be a criminal offense regardless of who committed that act against you. Lagos state recently passed a law about violence against Women. It’s probably too late now to commence a criminal case against this culprit as you’ve completely wiped off the evidence needed to prove a case of rape.
BoyToy
January 18, 06:24This is extremely upsetting and I sincerely empathise with you @The Wild One. I can imagine how stunned, speechless and shocked, to say the least, you must have been. Did Blessing happen to exchange pictures with you whilst you both chatted on WhatsApp or Twitter? If yes, then can we have a glimpse of what she looks like? If no, then clearly this an entrapment.
Try speaking to someone, a shrink or therapist or anyone you trust, to make you feel better. I was moved to tears after reading this harrowing experience.
Hannibal
January 18, 07:17OMG. I don’t know what to say dear. This is very disheartening, an all-time new low for these damaged homophobes. You’ll be OK, hear? I already love the attitude you’ve adopted so far
Chocolate vibe
January 18, 07:32God. This is so disgusting and sad. I don’t even know what to say. I’m sorry that had to happen to you.
Solo
January 18, 08:13I’m seething with rage.
Mitch
January 18, 08:22The part that is turning my head around is the involvement of military personnel. Like how??????
I’ve heard of the police, that rotten pack of corrupt wolves, being involved in things like this. Not the army. Never the army. Which is why this is beyond astonishing to me. How do we even start to fight when the ones who usually fight on our side are the ones victimising us?
The Wild One, I’m really sorry that this happened to you. And I hope you move past this and that your year, like you said, still is an awesome one for you. There’s nothing quite as debilitating as being victimised. So, take all the time you need and get all the help you need to heal.
trystham
January 18, 08:41I’m not so certain they may have been the military tho. #sigh The one time men in the military should have been actually useful and they are nowhere in sight. If dem catch am, I’m sure he’d av heard and seen from the beatings they’d give him.
Beyond all that you did after, I really can’t think of anything else that could prevent such happening again or getting justice. I really am sorry you had to go through this.
Mitch
January 18, 09:13I feel the same way too.
But, at the same time, there is something about the alacrity with which they donned those uniforms and proceeded to act like the untouchables military personnel always act like that says they’ve got backup beyond the ordinary. Mayhaps, they are even military personnel.
Honestly, it’s just saddening!
All of it.
Pink Panther
January 18, 09:27Exactly. I suspect the man isn’t military at all.
Mandy
January 18, 08:27The real saddest part of this entire story is this: “I am not very close to my mother, so I didn’t tell her I was raped as well.”
This sums up our existence as LGBT people in Nigeria. To go through trauma and not being able to tell those who matter most in our lives because of the fear of their prejudice.
It’s a really lonely life, I swear.
I’m truly sorry about what you went through, Wild One. Thankfully you’re not falling apart, but maybe try to talk it out with someone, just in case. It can’t be easy to not only get kitoed but violated the way you were.
ZAEE
January 18, 08:39So heart breaking.
I hope she finds herself again and hope her faith in humanity is not completely destroyed but most of all,I hope she heals.
We as LGBTQ people will find a voice louder and clearee than ever one day in this country, I believe it!!!
Higwe
January 18, 08:54Ayyyye ???
Nawa ooo …chai !
Fred
January 18, 09:21We keep going through unfathomable evil like this yet people think we are weak?
Dear Wild One, you are strong and you’ll come out of this stronger than ever.
Terra
January 18, 09:43This fucking sucks because she did nothing wrong. It’s not like she follwes someone to her house. it’s not like she went to one of the well know high risk areas. She wanted to meet in public, the thing that’s supposed to be safe to do, but these animals, these fucking unevolved troglodytes. They keep finding ways to keep us scared. I’m so sorry this happened. Saying “I’m sorry” feels really hollow, but that’s all I can say. One day you will find that woman of your dreams, and you will share this with her, and she will hold you, commiserate with you, kiss you on the forehead and assure you that you will never go through it again, because she will be with you forever, and you will never have to try to meet someone new.
bamidele
January 18, 10:36Wild One,
I sincerely empathise with you. It is a shame that this keeps happening in our so-called societies. Please take heart. We’re all together in this and we won’t give up until we have won.
Gay Man
January 18, 10:36I am really angry with this criminals. I wish they can get a taste of their desit. This is highly punishable by the law. I cry for my life. I am glad you were not killed. May you find justice to this wicked act. I swear.
Edah
January 18, 10:55Short sad story
Frankiefire
January 18, 10:56So sorry about your ordeal.
Damn. Thank goodness you don’t chat with abbreviations. I can’t imagine how many of your friends would have been his victim. I am livid.
Peaches
January 18, 11:43How inhumane people have become for the sake of greed and selfish interests. I commiserate with you,Wild one. I hope that man catches his own waterloo and that Blessing too.
Mister Raj
January 18, 12:00Babes, I am really sorry you had to go through all of this alone.
It’s really traumatic, I hope you recover quickly from it all.
Sending you love and hugs.
Peace
January 18, 13:33Dear wildone, I’m so sorry for all you went through. Have you seen a therapist? I’ll send two links for free therapy sessions to pink panther, just incase. Sending you all the light, love and warm hugs.
Sexytoafault
January 18, 13:57Oh my God, this was tooo much for me to read and I can’t even imagine how you feel sis. This is draining and damaging and I’m so sorry you went through this
Rock
January 18, 15:53I couldn’t read to the end.
It’s time for all of us to think up a way to end this rubbish
Delle
January 18, 16:31So I finally read a kito story from a lesbian’s POV and it’s one of the most dastardly. Woah!
Talk about taking it a notch higher.
No one deserves this, Wild One. I hope you heal and move past it. You’ll be fine. Please, be.
❤
Lyanna
January 18, 18:15Wasn’t expecting anything like this. I hope you find your healing.
Dunder
January 18, 20:41I was broken by this piece so I can only imagine the horror you have survived. No one deserves this. NO ONE. I am sorry. So very sorry. I don’t know what to say… The people who made this law, so they even know how many people they are hurting and putting in harm’s way? To get what? An election? Another four years of failure?
I am sorry. Minorities are victimised and then don’t even have anyone to turn to. You don’t want to speak so you are not further punished for living in truth… You take all the steps and try to do things the right way but there would always be a cretin who looks at you and sees sinister opportunity. How else would you explain an old guy who to keep his job and seek relevance, obsesses over a trans woman instead of focusing on cultural dance?
Please take up the free therapy sessions offered by Peace (thank you, Peace) so you can gain tools to help you cope day to day and rise above that experience.
I wish you quick and permanent healing.
Dayve
January 19, 12:33So sorry Ma. Wish you speedy recovery. How heartless! When would we learn that consent is key and rape is not cool. It seems like people are not listening to the campaigns and oblivious of what they are doing to others. Maybe I should say that the pharmacy should have pushed you to get PEP which is for a month.
Astar
January 19, 16:01It hurts that I can’t do anything for you but express my outrage. I pray the universe pay this people in hundred folds.
May you find healing for your soul.
Don’t allow what they did to you to break your spirit. You will not only survive, you will thrive.
A3
February 04, 00:50This hurts, it’s scary is there a verified platform one can use though