Speed Darlington Sues FG, Demands N3 Billion Over Alleged Defamation

Controversial Nigerian entertainer, Speed Darlington has taken the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to court for N3 billion. He dragged the agency to court for declaring him wanted. He sued NAPTIP in a suit marked marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1354/2025. A consortium of female attorneys representing the artist filed the suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 9, 2025. In the court filing, Speed Darlington claims that NAPTIP’s actions amounted to an unlawful and defamatory declaration. The agency had published a notice on June 27, 2025, declaring him wanted, accompanied by his photograph and name, under the headline “Wanted by NAPTIP.” The publication was widely circulated across multiple national newspapers, both in print and online. According to Speed Darlington, declaring him wanted was baseless and has caused irreparable harm to his reputation and personal safety. The entertainer is also asking the court for a perpetual injunction restraining NAPTIP, whether by itself, its agents, servants, officers, operatives, or any individual acting on its instructions, from enforcing or giving effect to the contents of the June 27 publication. On June 27, NAPTIP had officially declared Speed Darlington wanted in connection with alleged criminal offences after the musician, during an Instagram livestream, appeared to admit to having sexual relations with a 15-year-old girl. In a public notice posted via its verified Instagram handle @officialnaptip, the agency wrote, “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, [email protected].” In a defiant response posted on YouTube, Speed Darlington dismissed the allegations as baseless and accused NAPTIP of seeking “social media clout.” “I’m not coming. You hear me? I’m not coming. I have not committed any crime. All I did was speak,” he said. He went further to demand a ₦2.5 million appearance fee, claiming any meeting with the agency would amount to an official performance. “₦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 said mockingly. Challenging the agency’s claims, the entertainer questioned the basis for his summons, asking, “Where is your evidence? Who is the complainant? Do 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 maintained that he had committed no crime and accused the agency of attempting psychological manipulation. “There is no crime. All I did was try to claim it. You have no evidence. You have nothing. So, my coming here is a waste of my time,” he said.