Three young women have come forward with disturbing allegations of physical assault by a man during a night out at a popular nightclub in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The incident, which allegedly occurred at Black Box nightclub, left one women with a bloodied head, another with a broken tooth, and the third reportedly stripped and thrown down a staircase.
The assault, now widely shared on social media, has ignited public outrage, with Nigerians demanding justice and stronger protections for women in nightlife spaces.
According to the women’s testimonies in a series of emotional videos posted online, the attack took place while they were celebrating a friend’s birthday at the club. They claimed to have booked and paid for a table, only to be approached and harassed by a man who accused them of recording him without his consent.
“Now the only thing we did wrong is to go out as girls,” one of the victims stated, visibly injured and emotionally shaken. “Is every girl in Nigeria a prostitute?” she asked tearfully, displaying deep cuts and bruises on her scalp. She said the injuries were caused by a bottle allegedly smashed on her head during the altercation.
Three Women Allege Brutal Assault at Port Harcourt Nightclub, Spark Outrage and Police Investigation
Another woman explained that after reserving a table and settling in, the man, accompanied by security personnel, aggressively claimed their space and challenged them.
“He said, ‘If dem born me well, I should sit in the seat I paid for,’” she recounted. “This man and his friends started breaking bottles and attacking us. My friend’s head was busted open, she bled so much. Another one lost a tooth — they broke her teeth.”
Her own experience, she said, was just as horrifying: “They pushed me down the stairs. They stripped me. Beat me like I was a thief. All because he came with MOPOL [Mobile Police officers], with bodyguards or whatever they were.”
The third woman, whose front tooth was visibly missing in the video, pleaded for human rights organisations and law enforcement to intervene. “They need to get those men,” she said. “Young girls can’t even go out anymore and feel safe.”
The trio also alleged that the suspect is a regular at the club and has been involved in similar incidents in the past, raising concerns about a culture of impunity and insufficient security enforcement at nightlife venues.
In response to the growing backlash, a man identifying himself as the founder of Black Box nightclub—using the TikTok handle @datfairboy1—released a video statement condemning the violence and distancing the club from the attacker’s actions.
“Nobody has the right to inflict injury on anyone,” he said. “Especially when there’s no threat involved. This is a pathetic and unacceptable incident. I’m speaking not as a business owner but as a human being. It just doesn’t make sense.”
He added that he had personally visited the victims at the hospital and formally reported the case to law enforcement officials. “This is something I take very seriously. Nobody deserves to go through this.”
The Rivers State Police Command confirmed on Friday that it has launched an investigation. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the command said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the area had already invited both the nightclub’s management and the alleged suspect for questioning.
“Regarding the lady that was assaulted in the club, the DPO within that jurisdiction has expedited action by inviting the hotel manager and the alleged suspect to his office for immediate investigation,” the statement read. “We also invite the victims to come forward and make their statements.”
As of the time of this report, the alleged assailant has not made any public statement or responded to the accusations.
Women’s rights activists and civil society groups have condemned the attack and are calling for swift justice. “This is a brutal reminder of how unsafe public spaces can be for women in Nigeria,” said Chioma Okechukwu, a Port Harcourt-based gender rights advocate. “The law must be enforced, and this man should be held accountable.”
Meanwhile, support has poured in online for the victims, with many demanding not just justice but lasting reforms to ensure that clubs and public spaces adopt stronger policies against harassment and violence.
As the investigation continues, the victims are said to be receiving medical attention and legal counsel.
