The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has issued a stern warning to controversial Nigerian entertainer Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington, urging him to honour its invitation over a disturbing viral video.
The agency is investigating a statement made by the singer earlier this week, in which he claimed to have slept with a 15-year-old virgin, sparking outrage across social media platforms.
In a letter signed by the Head of the Cybercrime Response Team, Ngamaraju Mangzha, and dated Wednesday, Speed Darlington was directed to appear at NAPTIP’s headquarters in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, at 9:00 am on Friday, May 31, 2025, for questioning.
Despite the formal summons, NAPTIP said it would not hesitate to escalate the matter should the artist fail to comply.
“Mr. Darlington Okoye (AKA Speed Darlington) is urged to respond to the official invitation issued on May 28, 2025, regarding a viral video and others in which he admitted to sexually abusing a minor.”
“Failure to respond may lead to further action,” the agency posted on its X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, sharing a copy of the summons letter.
As at the time of filing this report, it was unclear whether the invitation had been formally served or received by the entertainer.
Speed Darlington, however, responded indirectly through a post on his X account, insisting on his innocence.
“Being against me does not change the fact that I’m innocent,” he wrote on May 29, 2025.
In a video released afterward, he pushed back at critics and questioned the intensity of the backlash he’s receiving, especially from the southern part of Nigeria.
“If I knew 15 would get me this much attention, I for say 12 make una head catch fire. Na because I dey Southern Nigeria, would you come at me like this if we were in Sokoto?” he said in a visibly agitated tone.
Following the criticism, the entertainer also claimed the controversial statement was a joke and a deliberate attempt to stir controversy.
