Nigerian rapper Darlington Okoye, better known as Speed Darlington, has filed a N300 million fundamental rights enforcement lawsuit against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, over what he claims was his unlawful detention.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled the hearing for 13th January, following a request from Darlington’s lawyer, Abubakar Marshal, for an adjournment.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the delay will allow the police’s legal representative, Garba Audu, time to review and respond to the documents served.
This case originates from a court order issued on 23rd December 2024, which instructed the police to either charge Darlington or release him within 48 hours.
The court further directed the police to comply with the release order pending the hearing of the main case and appointed Abubakar Marshal, Esq. as a surety for Darlington’s release.
The Federal High Court in Abuja once again ordered the release of Speed Darlington from police custody on 6th January 2025. Despite these repeated orders, Darlington remained detained, prompting his legal team to seek further action through the ongoing lawsuit.
Speed Darlington, 39, was detained in Lagos over allegations of defamation and cyberstalking linked to his comments about Burna Boy.
In his lawsuit, Darlington is seeking compensation for his unlawful detention and demands either his immediate release or that he be brought before the court.
His legal team also claims that he was subjected to mistreatment and torture during his time in detention.
