A Lagos-based TikTok beauty content creator known as Jola, with the handle ugly_gal_jola, has issued a public apology to an elderly woman referred to as “grandma” following a viral incident in which she admitted to assaulting the woman during a dispute inside a commercial bus in Lagos.
The controversy began after a video circulated online showing Jola confessing to attacking the elderly passenger during a confrontation that reportedly started over loud phone volume and later escalated into a physical altercation inside the bus.
In response to the public backlash and following police involvement, Jola released an apology video on Monday addressing both the elderly woman and social media users.
“So hi guys, I am here to make an apology video for the video I posted days ago that went viral. I am so sorry, grandma. It was not my intention to beat grandma. All cases have been settled.
I was called to the police station and they said the case is already settled. Grandma, I am so sorry. Thank you,” Jola said
Despite the apology, reactions online have remained divided, with many users continuing to debate the circumstances surrounding the altercation and whether her response was warranted.
Reports indicate that the incident took place in a bus travelling from Ikotun to Igando, after the elderly passenger complained that Jola’s phone volume was disturbing other commuters.
In her initial viral account shared before she was invited by the police, Jola explained that she had complied with the request but claimed the situation escalated afterward.
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According to her, “I reduced the volume, but the woman kept complaining and started insulting me. I know she is a grandma, but she was insulting me and shouting on me in the bus.”
She further stated that the confrontation turned physical when she was allegedly slapped twice by the elderly woman, which triggered her reaction.
In her words, she added: “She slapped me again, and that was when I reacted. I know she is a grandma and people will say I shouldn’t have done it, but I was angry. I beat her very well. I used her as a scapegoat.”
The video of the incident, which Jola reportedly recorded herself, showed passengers inside the bus reacting in shock as the confrontation intensified. Some eyewitnesses also claimed the dispute continued briefly after both women alighted at their destination.
The elderly woman’s family later reportedly saw the viral video, identified Jola, and reported the matter to the police, leading to her invitation for questioning over the alleged assault.
A separate video from the police station later surfaced online showing Jola in handcuffs, further fuelling public debate over the case.
While some social media users condemned her actions as excessive regardless of provocation, others argued that she reacted after being physically assaulted first, raising discussions around self-defence and conduct in public transport settings.
Although police intervention has reportedly resolved the matter, the incident continues to generate widespread conversation across social media platforms.