The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) is considering legal action against Nigerian entertainer Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington, following his failure to honour a formal summons to appear at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Friday, May 30.
The summons came in response to widespread outrage over a viral Instagram video in which Okoye appeared to admit to engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl—an act potentially amounting to statutory rape under Nigerian law.
The official invitation, dated May 28 and signed by Ngamaraju Mangzha, Head of NAPTIP’s Cybercrime Response Team, directed Okoye to report to the agency’s Wuse Zone 5 office by 9:00 a.m. on May 30. However, by midday Friday, NAPTIP confirmed that he had not appeared.
As of now, we are still waiting, a NAPTIP official stated. If he fails to show up, we will proceed as outlined in the notice. The last paragraph is very clear.
The official also explained how the matter fell under NAPTIP’s jurisdiction: As soon as the video surfaced, we were tagged by members of the public and women’s rights activists. The Lagos State Government was also notified, but since the location of the alleged incident couldn’t be established within their jurisdiction, the case was referred to NAPTIP, which has nationwide authority.
The video, which surfaced on Tuesday, May 27, featured Okoye boasting about having sex with a 15-year-old virgin. The statement has been widely condemned as a public confession to a criminal offense. In response, the Lagos State Government referred the matter to NAPTIP’s headquarters in Abuja for further action.
In its invitation, NAPTIP stated:
We write to formally invite you to appear before the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons in respect of certain video materials recently circulated online, including but not limited to a particular Instagram video wherein you allegedly made statements admitting to having engaged in sexual acts with an underage girl. Additional archived videos, now in circulation, similarly contain admissions and degrading commentary concerning minors. These actions, if substantiated, constitute offenses under the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, and the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
The letter concluded with a warning:
Failure to honour this invitation may result in further legal action.
NAPTIP’s Chief Press Officer, Mr. Adekoye Vincent, confirmed that the agency’s Director-General, Binta Bello, is actively monitoring the situation. We are deeply concerned. This case involves the rights and welfare of a minor, and we’re treating it with utmost urgency, he said.
Vincent also noted the seriousness of the video, describing it as a clear admission. He wasn’t under any duress. He stated it himself. What’s more disturbing is that in a follow-up video, he said if he had known the backlash would be this bad over a 15-year-old, he would have gone for a 12-year-old. That’s alarming.
When asked whether the agency plans to arrest Okoye or hand the case over to the police, Vincent responded, His refusal to appear gives us legal grounds to escalate. We will proceed according to the law. Arrest or prosecution are both possible.
Meanwhile, public outrage continues to mount. Isaac Fayose, brother of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, disclosed that the girl mentioned in the video intends to file a formal complaint with the police.
In an attempt to defuse the controversy, Speed Darlington later claimed the video was a “publicity stunt” intended to promote his music. “I need controversy to eat,” he said, referring to the video as a “prank.”
However, the explanation has failed to quell public criticism. Women’s rights advocates and concerned citizens have condemned the remarks, insisting that joking about child sexual abuse is dangerous and utterly unacceptable.
wahala