Activist and lawyer Deji Adeyanju has confirmed that singer and social media personality Darlington Okoye, also known as Speed Darlington, is currently being held by the Nigerian Police Force in Abuja.
Adeyanju revealed that Speed Darlington, who is also referred to as Akpi, was arrested in Lagos last Friday and subsequently transferred to Abuja, where he has been detained ever since.
According to Adeyanju, the arrest followed a formal complaint made by Grammy Award-winning artist Burna Boy, though further details about the complaint were not provided. Adeyanju shared this update on Tuesday through a post on his X handle.
In his post, Adeyanju wrote, “We just spent the last 30 minutes with Speed Darlington, who recounted how he was arrested in Lagos last Friday, transferred around, and eventually taken to Abuja, where he’s been detained since. The petition against him was filed by Burna Boy, as confirmed.”
Earlier, social media influencer Constance Nwogu raised alarm over Speed Darlington’s disappearance. In a social media post on Monday, Nwogu expressed concern, stating that the entertainer had been unreachable for three days.
She wrote on Instagram, “It has come to our attention that Speed Darlington (Akpi) has been missing for three days now.” She noted that his last social media post was made three days ago, which was unusual for someone who typically posts frequently.
According to our correspondent, Speed Darlington’s last YouTube post was on October 4, while his last Instagram post was on September 8, though he often goes live on Instagram. Nwogu added that no one has been able to contact him, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
Although the exact reason for Speed Darlington’s sudden disappearance remains unclear, Nwogu speculated that it might be connected to a video he previously made. In the video, Speed Darlington questioned the legitimacy of Burna Boy’s Grammy award and allegedly linked Burna Boy with Sean Combs, also known as P Diddy or Puff Daddy.
Meanwhile, Burna Boy posted a cryptic message on X on Tuesday, saying, “Who’s missing?” following reports of Speed Darlington’s disappearance. It is unclear whether the post is related to the situation.
Nwogu urged the public to come forward with any information that might help locate the missing artist, stressing the importance of any leads. She assured followers that updates would be shared as more information became available.
“The police have yet to release any official information regarding the situation as of press time,” Nwogu added.
