Metro

NAPTIP Declares Speed Darlington Wanted For Tape, Cyberbullying

Published

2 months ago

June 27, 2025

Editor

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has declared Nigerian entertainer, Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington, wanted in connection with alleged offences including rape, cyberbullying, and cyberstalking.

NAPTIP made this known via its official Instagram handle @officialnaptip on Friday afternoon.

It read, “WANTED BY NAPTIP. Darlington Okoye, aka Speed Darlington, is wanted in connection with alleged offences including rape, cyberbullying, and cyberstalking.

“Anyone with credible information on his whereabouts is urged to contact NAPTIP immediately. Call: 07030000203, info@naptip.gov.ng.”

The notice comes a month after Okoye failed to honour the agency’s invitation for questioning over his claim of having sex with a 15-year-old girl during a live Instagram video.

NAPTIP had summoned Okoye over his statement in a now-viral Instagram video.

A letter, signed by the agency’s Head of Cybercrime Response Team, Ngamaraju Mangzha, was addressed to Okoye on May 28, 2025.

It asked the singer to appear at its Abuja head office at 09:00 a.m. on May 30, 2025.

However, our correspondent who visited the agency’s headquarters at the time confirmed that the singer did not show up at NAPTIP’s Wuse Zone 5 office.

Later, NAPTIP said it received an official response from Okoye, who claimed he could not visit. He insisted on appearing on June 26.

In his response, Okoye said, “Hello, I will not be able to come in today. This is very sudden and urgent for me. I already have commitments and responsibilities.

“I suggest you reschedule for next month, June 26. I will be in Abuja that day.”

It was observed at NAPTIP’s headquarters on June 26, observed that the singer failed to appear.

NAPTIP replied in a letter signed by its Director of Information and Communications Technology & Coordinator, Cybercrime Response Team, Hakeem Lawal.

Lawal wrote, “The Agency wishes to state that the invitation was sent to you on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, giving you sufficient time to prepare and appear as indicated.

“Moreover, the issue at hand is of urgent National importance and requires an urgent response.”

He continued, “As such, NAPTIP will not be able to work with your schedule as stated in your response.

“However, you are further given till Monday, June 2, 2025, at 1:00 pm, to appear in person at the NAPTIP’s Headquarters: 2028, Dalaba Crescent, Wuse Zone 5, FCT, Abuja, for the interview.”

Lawal added, “Please, as stated in our earlier correspondence, your cooperation is very critical in this matter.”

However, The PUNCH observed that Okoye did not appear for questioning that Monday.

The singer sparked outrage on Children’s Day after a livestream where he claimed he had once slept with a 15-year-old virgin. The clip quickly went viral, triggering widespread outrage from viewers and women’s-rights groups who accused him of confessing to statutory rape.

Within 24 hours, the backlash drew official attention as the Lagos State government reported the matter to NAPTIP, which summoned Okoye for questioning.

The summon letter read, “We write to formally invite you to appear before the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons in respect of certain video materials recently circulated online, including but not limited to a particular Instagram video wherein you allegedly made statements admitting to having engaged in sexual acts with an underage girl.”

It continued, “Additional archived videos, now in circulation, similarly contain admissions and degrading commentary concerning minors. These actions, if substantiated, constitute offences under the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015, Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.”

The letter further stated, “⁠You are hereby invited to appear in person for an interview as regards the alleged actions on Friday, May 30, 2025, by 9 a.m. at the NAPTIP Headquarters: 2028 Dalaba Crescent, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, FCT.”

It added, “Kindly bring along any legal representation or documents you may consider relevant. Please be informed that your cooperation is critical to ensuring a fair and thorough inquiry into the matter.”

NAPTIP warned, “Failure to honour this invitation may result in further legal action.”

Isaac Fayose, brother of former Ekiti State governor Ayo Fayose, also told journalists that the girl mentioned in the video intends to file a formal complaint with the police.

Facing mounting pressure, Speed Darlington released follow-up posts insisting the “confession” was a publicity stunt to promote new music, saying bluntly, “I need controversy to eat.”

In another post, he labelled the video “a prank.” Yet the about-face did little to calm critics, many of whom argued that joking about child sexual abuse is itself harmful.

An official who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity said legal actions appear probable as the singer has missed two appointments. The official also stated that while NAPTIP is still weighing its options, it will not accept Okoye’s proposed June 26 date.

“He has responded on two occasions, giving reasons for not coming. We will not work with his timing; we will soon come out with our position on this. No one is free in the eyes of the law,” the official said.

Another official explained, “NAPTIP wrote to him, inviting him. First time, he replied that we should give him till June 26. He wrote to us, ‘Look, I cannot come because of this and that.’ The agency wrote back again to him that this issue is a matter of national importance that requires urgency.”

The Official continued, “The Agency will not work with your schedule. He replied again that he will insist on sticking to that date. Now, the agency is studying the situation.

“When we are making a decision like that, we usually consult with the relevant departments. And taking into consideration the legal implications of our action.

“Don’t forget, even if we say we are taking him to court, they’ve been on strike, they just called it off. So, we are considering our options. But the management is reviewing his response so that we can take a very informed decision.”

When asked if measures were in place to prevent Okoye from fleeing the country, NAPTIP’s Chief Press Officer, Mr Vincent Adekoye, said the agency is “working with all sister agencies” to ensure his appearance in Abuja.

“NAPTIP is a proactive agency. We have activated the necessary partnership on this. We are collaborating with sister law enforcement agencies.

“NAPTIP is exploring all elements to ensure that he comes to answer for what he said. We are not taking chances. We are working with all state and non-state actors on this matter,” Adekoye stated.

In an earlier interview, Adekoye said NAPTIP’s Director-General, Binta Bello, was deeply concerned about Okoye’s claims.

“We are concerned. Our DG is seriously concerned. She’s monitoring the situation by the hour. Why? It’s an issue that borders on a minor, the human rights of the minor, and sexual abuse. Anything could have happened to that girl.

“He was not under duress. It was an admission. Look at what he released yesterday: a video saying that if he had known that this 15-year-old would generate this, he would have gone for a 12-year-old,” he explained.
(PUNCH)

Metro

Man To Face Trial For Child Theft In Anambra

Published

2 hours ago

August 13, 2025

Editor

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 63-year-old female suspect, Ngozi Muotuanya, from the Awkuzu-Oba area of the state, for alleged child theft.

It was gathered that the suspect, who is also suspected of being a kingpin of an interstate child trafficking syndicate, was said to have allegedly stolen a male child, aged about one year, in Minna, Niger State, and sold him to an unsuspecting member of the public in Anambra State.

In a press statement on Tuesday, the spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that operatives attached to the Oba Division arrested the suspect on Monday after credible intelligence gathering.

Ikenga stated that the command had relayed the information about the custodian of the child to the Niger State Police Command for possible recovery and reunion with the parents and other necessary action.

The statement read in part, “In a decisive move to unravel the mysterious disappearance of children in the state, especially in Oba and its environs, police operatives attached to the Oba Division on August 11, 2025, acting on credible intelligence, apprehended one Ngozi Muotuanya, female, of Awkuzu-Oba, aged 63 years.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that sometime in 2024, the suspect allegedly stole a male child, aged about one year, in Minna, Niger State, and sold him to an unsuspecting member of the public in Anambra State.

“The said suspect later resold the child to another person.

“However, on August 4, 2025, the receiver, upon realising that the child was stolen, returned him to the principal suspect.

“The suspect, in turn, allegedly abandoned the child at an unascertained church in Minna, where he was rescued by the leader of the Igbo Community in Minna.”

According to him, the command has relayed information about the custodian of the child in Minna to the Niger State Police Command for possible recovery and reunification with his parents and other necessary action.

“The suspect shall be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka, for discreet investigation and prosecution,” the statement concluded.

Metro

JUST IN: Court Discharges Ibom Air Passenger

Published

4 hours ago

August 13, 2025

Editor

An Ikeja Magistrate Court sitting in
Ogba, Lagos State on Wednesday, discharged Comfort Emmanson, the passenger accused of unruly behaviour and assault aboard an Ibom Air flight.

Magistrate Olanrewaju Salami discharged Emmason following the withdrawal of the five charges preferred against her by the police.

Earlier, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, (SAN), announced the decisions following consultations with stakeholders in the aviation sector.

According to the minister, the resolutions were reached after reviewing the incidents, considering appeals from well-meaning individuals, and considering the remorse shown by those involved.

Keyamo revealed that Ibom Air has agreed to withdraw its complaint against Emmanson, who was arrested over the August 10 incident.

Emmason was arraigned on Monday before the court and after being granted bail in the sum of N500,000, with two sureties in like sum, she was remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre as she couldn’t meet her bail conditions.

At the resumed hearing of the case,the prosecution, Oluwabunmi Adeitan, informed the court that there were new developments that necessitated the withdrawal of the case.

She tendered application to court for the withdrawal of the case, which was admitted by the court.

Details later…

Metro

Man Dies After Being Accidentally Pinned By Overweight Partner

Published

5 hours ago

August 13, 2025

Editor

What began as an ordinary night in a quiet Porto neighbourhood ended in a tragedy so rare, even seasoned investigators called it “unusual.”

The Daily Mail, quoting Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã, reported that the incident occurred at the couple’s home in Campanhã, Porto. While the report was published on August 12, 2025, it did not mention the exact day the incident took place.

In the early hours, a 59-year-old man was fatally pinned beneath his partner after she slipped while getting out of bed. He had been lying close to the wall on the floor when she tumbled, accidentally trapping him in a position that cut off his breathing.

Neighbours, jolted awake by her frantic screams, rushed into the room.

“It took five men to lift her off him,” one neighbour told local reporters. “We were pulling, shouting, trying everything, but it was too late.”

Emergency responders arrived within minutes, but resuscitation efforts failed. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police confirmed there was no foul play.

“It’s been categorised as an accidental asphyxia,” a police source said. “It’s a very unusual death, but there was no criminal intent. It was a stumble by the woman as she got out of bed and tried to move closer to her partner, who was lying on the floor, that led to what happened.”

The couple had been together for years, though never formally married. Friends described them as “inseparable,” often seen at the same corner café sharing coffee and conversation.

“She’s completely shattered,” another neighbour said quietly. “She keeps saying she wishes she could take his place. No one should have to carry that kind of guilt.”

Authorities say the woman is receiving psychological support to help her cope with the shock and grief.

For locals, the tragedy is a reminder that even in the most familiar spaces, life can change in the blink of an eye.