Controversial Nigerian musician, Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington, has sparked outrage after openly ridiculing the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), following the agency’s decision to declare him wanted over serious allegations including rape, cyberbullying, and cyberstalking.
In a defiant video shared on his Instagram page on Monday, Speed Darlington boldly dismissed the accusations against him, insisting that he had committed no crime. He accused NAPTIP of attempting to gain attention by using his name and image, and claimed that the allegations were baseless and purely aimed at creating social media buzz.
“I’m not coming. You hear me? I’m not coming. I have not committed any crime. All I did was speak,” Speed Darlington said confidently in the video, clearly showing no intention of complying with the agency’s invitation.
Further questioning the legitimacy of the agency's actions, he challenged NAPTIP to present evidence and identify a complainant, suggesting that the agency’s move was simply a strategy to exploit his celebrity status for publicity.
“Where is your evidence? Who is the complainant? You want to use me to collect social media clout? Hey, look at us. We are doing our job. We summoned a celebrity and he came,” he mocked sarcastically, ridiculing their efforts.
Known for his outspoken and controversial style, Speed Darlington described the invitation from NAPTIP as psychological manipulation. He went even further to demand a hefty appearance fee if the agency expected him to comply with their summons.
“2.5 million is what I charge for my appearance. You want to pay me 2.5 million plus? Round trip tickets for me and my PA to come. Because I call that appearance,” he declared, making it clear that he viewed the summons as a show appearance rather than a legal obligation.
The agency had, last Friday, officially declared him wanted on its verified Instagram page, accusing him of evading multiple invitations after a viral video surfaced where he claimed to have had sexual relations with a 15-year-old girl.
The incident allegedly occurred during a controversial Instagram live session on Children’s Day, which immediately drew widespread condemnation from human rights organizations, women’s groups, and even the Lagos State government. Many described his comments as deeply offensive and harmful.
According to NAPTIP, if verified, Speed Darlington’s actions would constitute serious violations of Nigeria’s anti-human trafficking and cybercrime laws, which carry severe legal consequences.
Despite receiving an official invitation dated May 28 instructing him to appear at the agency’s Abuja office by May 30, Speed Darlington failed to show up, citing prior commitments. He later proposed June 26 as a new date for his appearance, but the agency rejected this, issuing a final ultimatum for him to appear by June 2, which he again ignored.
In defense of his actions, Speed Darlington claimed the viral video was nothing more than a publicity stunt aimed at boosting his music career. “I need controversy to eat,” he admitted, though many Nigerians and advocacy groups criticized him for using a sensitive topic like child sexual abuse as a promotional tactic, describing it as reckless and dangerous.
Meanwhile, new reports have emerged suggesting that the singer has already fled Nigeria. In a separate video, he hinted that he had relocated abroad, specifically mentioning that he had “left Lagos girls for New York girls,” further fueling speculation about his whereabouts.
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