Nigerian singer and social media personality, Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington, has responded to reports that he has been declared wanted by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
The agency had on June 27 listed Speed Darlington as wanted over alleged cases of rape, cyberbullying and cyberstalking.
The controversial artiste denied the allegations in a video posted on Instagram on Monday, insisting there is no basis for the accusations and threatening legal action if the notice is not retracted.
He challenged the agency to present proof of any wrongdoing, questioning the validity of the claims and the identity of any complainant.
Speed Darlington also criticised the manner in which the allegations surfaced, suggesting that the agency is reacting to online hate rather than facts.
He said, “This video is for NAPTIP. Pay attention to all that you wanted to post about me. Take it down; I’m not coming. I’m not coming. Do you hear me? I’m not coming. I have not committed any crime. All I did was speak. Irresponsible talk is not a crime. I’m not coming. Okay? Where is your evidence? Who is the complainant? Eh?
“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. I was born here too. I know the psychology mind crime you want to use for me to play a mind game. 2.5 million is what I charge for an appearance. You are going to pay me 2.5 million, plus round-trip tickets for me and my PA to come. Because I call that appearance.
“Because I know you guys have no evidence. There is no crime. All I did was try to trend. You have no evidence. You have none, so me coming there is a waste of time. You guys are just reacting to a bunch of people’s social media hate, tagging me. We’ve found somebody to go after. So you want to react and show Nigerians you are a good agency. Go after me for what? Go after me for what? For talking? Which one is cyberstalking? Who did I stalk? Did I post about anyone? Who did I bully? Did I call any name in the video? You guys are just throwing English up and down and trying to intimidate people so you can look important.
“All those women that were tagging you guys are a bunch of 30 and 20-somethings who have not found husbands, so Speed Darlington doesn’t have an eye for my age mate, and now they’re hating on me because I’m popular and people listen to things I say so they know if I say I don’t have an eye for 30s and 40s and late 20s.
“So they begin to hate on me. Anything I say, they tag you and add that to some jobless boys.
“I will sue you for defamation of character and spoiling my name; you have no evidence.”
