ALLEGED RAPE: ‘I AM NOT COMING’, SPEED DARLINGTON REPLIES NAPTIP
Read Time:3 Minute, 19 Second
By Jenn Nomamiukor
Nigerian performer, Darlington Okoye, widely recognized as Speed Darlington, has refuted claims made against him, asserting that he will not respond to a summons from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
He also said his appearance fee, as an entertainer, is ₦2.5 million.
In a video posted on his Instagram page on Monday, the singer insisted he had committed no crime, described the allegations as baseless, and accused the agency of seeking social media attention
“This video I am making is for NAPTIP. You people should pay attention. All these wanted posters you people posted all around, you all need to take that (summon posts) down.
“I’m not coming. You hear me? I’m not coming. I have not committed any crime. All I did was speak. Irresponsible is not a crime,” Okoye said.
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The 41-year-old vocalist alleged that NAPTIP is attempting to exploit him for social media visibility, challenging the organization’s intentions and insisting on proof of any misconduct.
“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 said.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLhiZzHuq6w/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=45a705b2-7937-4d57-afbe-23f9884d0a95
The ‘Baby Oil’ crooner further described the agency’s invitation as a psychological ploy, stating he would only appear if paid his standard appearance fee.
“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 added.
Referring to his controversial Instagram livestream where he appeared to confess to sleeping with a 15-year-old girl, Speed Darlington maintained there was no evidence against him and dismissed the uproar as unjustified.
“There is no crime. All I did was try to claim it. You have no evidence. So, me coming here is a waste of my time… Which one is cyberstalking? Who did I stalk? Did I post or bully or call anyone names in the video?”
He also criticized women tagging NAPTIP to take action, accusing them of “hating on him”, and warned that he would sue the agency for defamation if his name was not cleared.
“You have no evidence against me,” he insisted.
NAPTIP announced Okoye as a wanted individual last Friday through its official Instagram account, calling on the public to provide any information regarding his location.
“Darlington Okoye, also known as Speed Darlington, is sought in relation to purported crimes including sexual assault, online harassment, and digital stalking,” the agency stated.
The announcement came after Okoye’s inability to comply with several notifications from the agency, following his widely-circulated Children’s Day livestream that incited public indignation and alarm from women’s rights organizations. The Lagos State government also notified NAPTIP about the incident.
The organization initially requested his presence on 28 May to appear in Abuja on 30 May. He refused and suggested 26 June as an alternative. NAPTIP dismissed the revised date, citing the pressing nature of the issue, and established a final deadline of 2 June—also disregarded by the artist.
“The issue at hand is of urgent national importance and requires an urgent response,” the agency said in a letter, warning of possible legal consequences for non-compliance.
Although Okoye later claimed the video was a prank aimed at promoting his music, critics said trivializing child sexual abuse—even in jest—was unacceptable.
NAPTIP maintained that his statements, if proven true, could amount to violations under the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015 and the Cybercrime Act 2015.
Meanwhile, the controversial entertainer has been rumored to be out of the country.
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