Speed Darlington Files N3bn Lawsuit Against NAPTIP For Declaring Him Wanted

Nigerian musician Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington, has taken legal action against the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) after the agency declared him wanted.

In the suit filed on July 9, at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Speed Darlington is demanding N3 billion in damages, claiming that NAPTIP damaged his image and reputation by labeling him a wanted man.

On June 27, NAPTIP posted a notice on its Instagram page, accusing the singer of offences like rape, cyberbullying, and cyberstalking.

 “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.”

In his lawsuit, Speed Darlington’s lawyers argued that the agency had no valid reason to declare him wanted and that doing so publicly has put him at risk and harmed his career.

They’re asking the court to issue a permanent order stopping NAPTIP from acting on or promoting the contents of that Instagram post.

KanyiDaily recalls that Darlington was declared wanted after he posted a video on Instagram, claiming he had slept with an underage girl in a hotel.

Although he later said it was just a joke, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) got involved and forwarded the case to NAPTIP for a deeper investigation.

NAPTIP responded by asking him to report to their office in Abuja for questioning, an invitation the musician failed to honour.

Despite the backlash, Speed Darlington insisted he meant no harm, stressing that artists often stir controversy to stay relevant, and added that his comments were meant to draw attention to his work.

Meanwhile, Speed Darlington recently boasted about dumping Lagos girls for women in New York, shortly after fleeing Nigeria.