The legal team of Nigerian singer Darlington Achakpo, popularly known as Speed Darlington, has announced its readiness to fulfill the bail conditions set by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In a letter addressed to Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Galadanchi of the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), the law firm of Deji Adeyanju and Partners confirmed they would be present on January 8, 2025, with a surety to secure Darlington’s release.
Speed Darlington was arrested on November 27, 2023, during a performance in Owerri, Imo State. His arrest was allegedly linked to a verbal tirade against Afrofusion star Burna Boy, whom he criticized for associating with embattled U.S. rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is facing serious allegations of sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
Darlington’s counsel, Deji Adeyanju, claimed that Burna Boy orchestrated the arrest. Despite the controversy, Darlington has remained defiant, vowing to continue criticizing Burna Boy for his affiliations.
On December 23, 2024, Justice Liman of the Federal High Court ordered the police to either charge Darlington to court within 48 hours or release him unconditionally. The court reiterated this order on January 6, 2025, emphasizing the unlawfulness of Darlington’s continued detention.
Darlington was eventually granted bail with the condition of producing a Grade Level 16 civil servant as a surety. According to the legal team, their efforts to meet these terms on January 7, 2025, were hindered due to unresponsiveness from the police.
The letter from the law firm read:
“We were at the FIB with a surety to fulfill the bail conditions, but calls and messages to the DIG went unanswered. Despite this, we will return on January 8, 2025, with the required surety to complete the process.”
The legal team expressed hope for the cooperation of the police, emphasizing that Darlington’s prolonged detention violates his rights.
This ongoing legal tussle has drawn significant attention, with fans and observers eagerly awaiting the resolution of the matter.
