Human rights lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju has confirmed that Nigerian singer, Darlington Okoye known as Speed Darlington is currently being held by the Police in Abuja.
The revelation by Mr Adeyanju follows Mr Okoye’s recent disappearance which sparked widespread concern.
Mr Okoye had been missing for three days before a video surfaced online showing a man resembling the artist in handcuffs.
Mr Adeyanju in a post on X said the singer was arrested in Lagos last Friday, October 4, 2024, and later transferred to Abuja, where he has remained in police custody.
According to the lawyer, the arrest is linked to a formal complaint filed by Grammy Award-winning musician, Damini Ogulu who is known by the stage name Burna Boy.
“We just spent the last 30 minutes with Speed Darlington, and he narrated how he was arrested in Lagos last Friday, moved around, and eventually brought to Abuja, where he has been detained since.
The petition against him was written by Burna Boy,” Mr Adeyanju stated.
Details of the complaint remain unclear, but Mr Okoye had recently taunted Mr Ogulu questioning the legitimacy of his Grammy Award for the album Twice As Tall, which was executive-produced by United States rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs.
Mr Okoye in the viral video insinuated there was an inappropriate relationship between Messrs Ogulu and Combs, further accusing the artist of benefiting from the US rapper’s influence.
“It wasn’t long after Burna Boy posted a photo of him and Diddy that he won a Grammy Award. Burna Boy, don’t be offended, but how many oils did Diddy use on you before they gave you the Grammy Award?” Mr Okoye had said in his post.
Following Mr Okoye’s disappearance, social media users speculated that Mr Ogulu could be involved, fueled by a cryptic tweet from the artist that read, “Who is missing?”
Also, Mr Okoye’s mother, Queen, has since pleaded with the Grammy rapper to “temper justice with mercy.”
