Controversial Nigerian street-hop singer, Habeeb Okikiola, better known by his stage name Portable, has regained his freedom after a legal battle initiated by renowned Fuji music legend, Saheed Osupa, came to an amicable resolution. The court granted Portable his freedom following the official withdrawal of a cyberstalking and defamation case filed against him by Osupa.
The legal tussle, which attracted significant public and media attention, was formally resolved on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, after Osupa’s legal team submitted a notice of withdrawal at the Upper Area Court 1 in Ilorin, Kwara State. The decision to drop the charges came after several high-profile interventions and persistent appeals from key figures within the Nigerian music industry and other respected personalities across the country.
Confirming the development, Osupa’s legal representative, Ahmed Opalekunde, disclosed to journalists from The PUNCH that the withdrawal was executed strictly on the instruction of his client. According to him, numerous stakeholders from the entertainment industry, alongside notable Nigerians, had stepped in to broker peace between both parties, leading to the amicable settlement.
The case initially stemmed from a petition filed by the Fuji icon against Portable, where the singer was accused of criminal defamation, cyberstalking, criminal intimidation, and inciting public disturbance. These charges were based on comments made by Portable during a widely circulated live video session on his official Instagram page on March 19, 2025. In the broadcast, Portable allegedly directed several offensive, defamatory, and disparaging remarks at Saheed Osupa.
In the viral clip, Portable was quoted saying, “Saheed Osupa, you are big for nothing. If you can’t embrace me, I will drag you. You sing Fuji while I sing hip hop. The same way I used a line from your music is the same way I removed three verses from Pasuma. But Pasuma never report my song. Keep your distance if you can’t embrace me like the way Pasuma abducted me like his own child.”
These statements were considered by Osupa to have severely tarnished his public image, causing unrest and exposing him to public mockery. Consequently, he petitioned law enforcement authorities, leading to Portable’s arraignment at the Kwara State High Court on Monday before Chief Magistrate Sunday Adeniyi.
During his arraignment, Portable was granted bail in the sum of N1 million, with stringent conditions attached. These included the provision of two reliable sureties, one of whom was required to be a recognized chairman of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), and the other a verifiable property owner residing within the Government Reserved Area (GRA) of Ilorin, Kwara State.
However, following Osupa’s decision to settle the matter out of court, the legal action against Portable has now been officially terminated. In the letter presented to the court, Osupa’s legal team cited interventions from several music industry stakeholders and respected societal figures who urged him to prioritize public peace and reconciliation over prolonged litigation.
The withdrawal letter, submitted to the court, read as follows:
“It’s our client’s (nominal complainant) instruction that the stakeholders in the music industry and other notable personalities in the society have intervened in the matter and pleaded to the nominal complainant to withdraw the case against the defendant in the interest of public peace.
We hereby on behalf of our client apply to withdraw the case against the defendant and terminate same accordingly as the matter had been resolved amicably.
Further, sir, we want to pray the court to admonish and warn the defendant to desist from any further publications, utterances and any other acts aiming at disparaging the person and businesses of the nominal complainant.”
The court is now expected to issue a formal admonishment to Portable, advising him to refrain from making any further defamatory or damaging remarks about Saheed Osupa or his business activities in the future, ensuring that the peace brokered between the two entertainers is maintained moving forward.