An American woman, Zainab [surname withheld], has accused Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, of orchestrating her violent detention and inhumane treatment following her persistent inquiry into the mysterious death of her mother, Balinda, while in the minister’s care.
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In an exclusive interview with SaharaReporters, Zainab detailed a shocking series of events that spanned months—beginning with an intimate relationship formed with the minister during a United Nations event in New York, and culminating in what she described as state-backed brutality, illegal confinement, and psychological torture in Abuja.
Zainab’s relationship with Keyamo reportedly began on September 21, 2023, at a UN meeting where she worked as a translator. Their bond deepened quickly. On November 13, 2023, Zainab, her mother, and others traveled from New York to Uganda on a flight arranged by Keyamo, who also funded their luxury stay. By December 2024, the minister allegedly chartered a private jet to move the family to Abuja, bypassing immigration procedures.
Zainab later returned to Nigeria on April 9, 2024. Upon her return, she noticed a stark deterioration in her mother’s health.
“Her condition had visibly changed,” Zainab recounted. “I started asking questions. That’s when everything changed.”
According to Zainab, on June 5, 2024, a violent raid was conducted on her residence in Wuse 2, Abuja. The operation was allegedly led by a man identified as Felix, said to be the minister’s Chief Security Officer.
“They beat my housemaid and chef, slammed me to the floor, broke my fingers, and dragged me out like a criminal,” she said.
Zainab and several others, including a child and a dog, were reportedly transported in a van and later detained at a facility she believes was an immigration holding center. The group was eventually moved to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) guest house under squalid and psychologically traumatizing conditions.
“We were locked in a room with no working toilet or running water. My dog had to relieve itself where we slept,” she narrated.
She further alleged that her repeated attempts to contact the U.S. Embassy were blocked and that she was forcibly injected against her will with an unidentified substance.
“I screamed for help, begged not to be harmed. They overpowered me and injected me. I still don’t know what it was,” Zainab said.
Zainab accused the Minister’s sister, Ruth Keyamo, of overseeing her confinement and ignoring pleas for help.
“I showed Ruth my injuries. I told her I had a daughter. She said, ‘My brother is the one in control,’” Zainab stated.
Zainab claimed that she later sent desperate messages using Snapchat, alerting her daughter, friends, and even her tennis coach, fearing that she might not survive the ordeal.
“We were afraid we’d be dragged into the woods and killed,” she said.
Despite visible injuries—including broken fingers and a ruptured eardrum—Zainab said she was denied immediate medical care.
“I passed out from pain and dehydration,” she said. “Eventually, I was taken to a clinic, where X-rays confirmed fractures.”
She alleged that her suffering was deliberately prolonged, with aides dismissing her injuries and offering only superficial treatment.
“I was treated like I had no human rights, no dignity. I was left to rot in pain,” she said.
When contacted for comment, Minister Festus Keyamo dismissed the allegations as blackmail.
“It’s all blackmail. Talk to my sister,” he told SaharaReporters.
Ruth Keyamo, in turn, denied any wrongdoing.
“She injured herself while doing housework. Immigration arrested her lawfully. We’re not involved,” Ruth stated.
Efforts to reach the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for clarification were initially acknowledged by spokesperson Akinsola Akinlabi, who promised a follow-up but later went silent on further inquiries.
Zainab said she was denied an autopsy for her mother’s death, deepening her suspicion and trauma.
“I just wanted to know how my mother died. For that, I was locked up, beaten, and silenced.”
She concluded by stating that while Keyamo never physically struck her, she holds him accountable for the actions of his aides.
“He gave the orders. They acted under his watch. That makes him responsible.”
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