Someone knowing that they cannot have sex with a woman unless she is incapable of movement, speech or general control of her senses is the only cause of women being drugged. We spoke to 9 Nigerian women on their experience being drugged.
Context warning: Stories could be triggering for people who have either been raped or drugged before, because the article makes a lot of reference to those two activities.
Amanda, 25
The first time I ever had sex, I was drugged and raped. It was a cold day, and he offered to take me a few minutes from the bus stop to his house where I could wait till the rain stopped. We were coursemates and in year one. I did not think much of it until I woke up in the visitor’s bedroom with pain down there. That was when I realised that the tea he insisted on me drinking to get warmed up was drugged.
Bukky, 27
It was in 2013, and I was 20. I was invited to a party by a friend, and I had some drinks before I went so I was already slightly tipsy, but I was fine. The “mistake” I made was collecting a drink from someone I did not know. I thought I was safe, considering the fact that it was my friend’s party. The last thing I remember from that night was dancing and making out with this girl I liked. My next memory was at five the next morning. I found myself in my “friend’s” car, and he was trying to make me give him a blow job. I felt so much pain in my body, especially in my ass. It hurt so bad that I couldn’t sit down for a few days. I tried to piece back that night for a year. Nothing. No memory.
Stella, 26
It was in night class while I reading for an exam when it happened. I bought a coke because it usually helps me stay awake. I drank like half of it, covered it and went to get some fresh air. It was so unlike me, and I was usually guarded, but I thought nobody goes to night class to drug people. When I came back, I started reading, drank some more of the coke but could not finish it. My friend came to the class to see me and took a sip of my coke. That was when she asked me why I put Rophynol in my drink. She told me she could taste it, and she was sure there was a drug in my coke. I do not take drugs, so I couldn’t detect it. I ended up sleeping throughout the night, and I am so lucky she was there.
Tobi, 24
I was 20 when I got drugged. I was hanging out with a guy I was talking to and his friends. His friend asked me to taste a new mix he made. Since it was my first time seeing him, I was not comfortable drinking from his glass. I told him that, and he offered to pour some into mine, but I refused and stuck to what I was drinking. I later noticed that the glass he wanted me to drink from was untouched, so I got really paranoid and decided to stop drinking from the bottles on the table. Eventually, I decided to switch to cocktails from the bar.
On one of my trips to the bar, the waiter told me about a new drink they had. He said it was on the house because it was new. I drank like half a glass and started feeling woozy. I thought maybe the new drink was too strong, so when I told the guy I was with and he kept insisting I finish the drink, I knew something was wrong, so I panicked and started crying. He said I was just having an anxiety attack and should relax, it would pass. He asked that I drink more alcohol, that it usually helps.
We got to his house, and luckily, my friend’s brother was waiting for me at the gate. He said his sister sent him to get me because I was not picking my calls. When I woke up the next morning, my friend’s brother and I went to the bar with some security guys. After the threats, the waiter said it was my “boyfriend” that told him to put something in the drink, that it was to make me perform well in bed.
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Janet, 21
I was 18 at the time and had just gained admission into the university. I made friends with some guys in 400 level. One day, one invited me over to his place. He gave me yoghurt that was probably mixed with something. I drank and felt really weak and light-headed. I knew I was not in control, could not move or do anything. He and his friend raped me. I remember sleeping and waking up around 12 p.m. the next day. They threatened me, telling me that they would hurt me really bad if I told anyone. I felt so guilty and scared that I could not leave my room for a while.
Amaka, 26
When I was 16, I worked for a family friend who sold recharge cards and phones. I took home our products at the end of each day. One day, a customer bought 10,000 worth of airtime, which was a big deal back then. He did this twice, and the third time, he offered to drop me off at home. I accepted and went home with. The second time he dropped me off, he came with drinks. I did not suspect they were drugged because they were canned drinks, and in movies, they only drug juice in cartons. This all happened around 8 p.m.
In his car, I felt woozy, so I asked him to let me go. He yelled at me instead and accelerated. I jumped out of the car and started begging people to drop me off at home. I got home around 12 a.m.
My parents and sister took me to the police station, only for us to find my boss there making a complaint. Apparently, he came to report me to the police because I was a prostitute who ran away with his money. He had assumed I stole the leftover products I took home that day. I was detained and slept in the police cell for three days before they let us pay bail. They caught the “customer” a month later. My family friend never apologised.
Joy, 24
I was in uni. Electricity and my generator were bad, so I, my roommate and our friend went to charge in our neighbour’s room. He left us in the room and stepped out. When he returned, he came with three cans of black bullet and a bottle of Chapman. He mixed it all in our presence, and we drank from the same cup. We suspected nothing, plus he seemed like a decent guy. The next morning when my roommate and I woke up, we were groggy. After we returned to our room, the guy kept asking for our friend, who refused to see him.
She told us that she noticed that whenever the cup got to him, he didn’t tip it back, and his lips were dry, so she decided not to drink anything as well. When we dozed off, he returned with two other guys who lived in the compound, and they were groping us, Unknown to them, my friend was not asleep, and she had a knife with her that she had gotten from the kitchen. She brought out the knife, threatened to shout and when they left, locked us inside his house. He confessed and brought some cult boys to threaten us. We moved out a few weeks later. I have not seen him since, but he is a doctor. I randomly wonder if he drugs his patients, and the thought makes me shiver each time.
Princess, 20
The first time I was drugged was also the day I was raped. It was in 2019, and I went out to the club with my friends for a birthday. There was this PRO guy who kept bringing us drinks and cigarettes. When we started dancing, he handed me a cup with some alcohol and I took a sip. Next thing I knew, I felt too weak to stand, my sight became blurry and I had to go outside to sit. The bastard came to comfort me outside, took me somewhere to lay down, and then I passed out. The drugs really messed me up. For days I was dehydrated, and I slept for almost an entire day after the incident.
Cynthia, 28
Last year I went for a party with my best friend that is a guy. We usually go for these kind of events together, but when we got to the party we separated because we saw other friends. While we were just chilling, the drink in my hand finished and someone put another in my hand. I mentioned to my friend that I do not know what possessed me to just collect a drink from a stranger. When I sniffed it, I realised it was a whiskey mix and I do not like whiskey, so I said I was going to dump it. My friend jokingly said he would take the poison for me, so I gave him. I was off Twitter for a while, so when I came back about a month after the incident he messaged me. He said I was right to not drink it, because after he drank it he could not remember anything after, but found himself in a friend’s house on the mainland.
I try to imagine I would have been safe with my best friend if I had drank it, but anything could have happened. I could have left without his knowledge.
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