By Guardian staff reporter
Publication Date: 2026-02-12 06:00:00
OOn a quiet evening at her hotel in Abuja, Joy Adeboye, 23, sits on her bed, clutching her phone, her thoughts racing and her chest tightening. On her screen is another abusive message from her stalker – a man she met at her church nine months earlier.
He had asked Adeboye out; When she declined, he began sending her intimidating, abusive and blackmailing messages on social media and spreading false information about her online. There were even death threats.
The experience takes its toll on her mental health and makes it difficult for her to cope. Family and friends she confided in didn’t take it seriously, and she can’t afford in-person therapy or counseling. When she felt panic at the sight of his words, she resorted to an alternative: a WhatsApp chatbot called Chat Kemi.
“Good evening, Resilient Joy,” the bot types. “How are you today?”
Adeboye hesitates and then starts typing: “Someone is defaming me online and threatening to kill me because I have refused to date anyone…”
