Court grants Speed Darlington bail after month-long detention

After spending almost a month in police detention, controversial singer, Speed Darlington has eventually been granted bail.

His lawyers, Deji Adeyanju and Mr Alieke, have continually decried what they defined as “unjustifiable detention” in view of his arrest. On Monday, his lawyer, Stanley Alieke, took to Instagram to proportion the news, posting, “The court has granted Apki bail.”

 “These aren’t conditional bail terms. He has been in detention since 27 November, and his fitness has deteriorated. The court listened to our plea and granted him bail,” he explained. He clarified that perfecting the bail procedure includes serving the court ruling to the applicable parties, together with the police, who have to then transmit it to the investigating officer or branch coping with the case. “Once that is done, he could be released.” Earlier on Monday, Darlington’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, published on X that the singer could be arraigned within forty-eight hours or released on bail. “Our FREP application for Darlington Okoye, a.k.a., Speed Darlington has been granted by the court. He is to be arraigned within 48 hours or released. Issues around injustice may take time, but justice will always prevail,” he wrote.

Mr. Alieke, however, clarified that Speed Darlington was not arraigned in the courtroom. “The court has already given the order for Speed Darlington to be released within forty-eight hours,” he said.

The dispute stems from Speed Darlington’s October 2024 arrest for allegedly cyberstalking Burna Boy. The feud started out whilst Darlington mocked Burna Boy’s affiliation with American rapper Diddy, whose issues with the FBI had made headlines. Darlington escalated tensions with a diss tune titled Baby Oil, which ridiculed Burna Boy and received traction on Spotify Nigeria’s Top 100. Despite being granted bail in October, he resumed public criticisms of Burna Boy and demanded an apology from his mom and ₦12 million in compensation. His next arrest happened on 27 November in the course of an overall performance in Owerri, Imo State. Darlington’s legal crew alleged that Burna Boy instigated the arrest and argues that the defamation falls outside the police’s jurisdiction.