NAPTIP Mulls Legal Action as Speed Darlington Snubs Summon

Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

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, after he failed to appear at its Abuja headquarters on Friday, May 30.

The agency had summoned Okoye following his alleged shocking claim during a live Instagram session that he had engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl—a revelation that quickly went viral and sparked widespread outrage.

The summon, issued on Wednesday and signed by the agency’s Head of Cybercrime Response Team, Ngamaraju Mangzha, directed the singer to present himself at NAPTIP’s head office in Abuja by 9:00 a.m. on Friday.

By midday, an official at the agency’s Wuse Zone 5 office, confirmed that Okoye had not shown up.

“As of now, we are still waiting. If we don’t see him, we will take action based on the notice issued. The last paragraph is very clear,” the agency official said.
Another official, speaking anonymously, noted that Okoye had offered no explanation for his absence.

The video, which surfaced on Tuesday, featured Okoye claiming he had slept with a “15-year-old virgin.” The remark drew swift condemnation from viewers and women’s rights advocates, who labelled it a public confession of statutory rape.

Within 24 hours, the Lagos State Government escalated the matter to NAPTIP, citing jurisdictional limits. The agency acted quickly by summoning Okoye.
NAPTIP’s Chief Press Officer, Mr Adekoye Vincent, confirmed that the agency’s Director-General, Binta Bello, was closely monitoring the situation.

“We are concerned. Our DG is seriously concerned. She’s monitoring the situation by the hour. Why? It’s an issue that borders on a minor, the human rights of the minor, and sexual abuse. Anything could have happened to that girl.

“He was not under duress. It was an admission. Look at what he released yesterday: a video saying that if he had known that this 15-year-old would generate this, he would have gone for a 12-year-old.”

When asked whether the agency would apprehend Okoye or hand the case over to police, Adekoye replied:

“His failure to appear will ensure that we know what to do within the law. It is clear. It may be prosecution or arrest, but whatever it is, we are very concerned.”
Amid growing backlash, Isaac Fayose—brother of former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose—disclosed that the girl referenced in the video intended to file a formal police complaint.

In a bid to defuse the situation, Speed Darlington later claimed the video was not a true confession but rather a publicity stunt to promote his music.
“I need controversy to eat,” he stated, describing the video as “a prank.”

However, the retraction did little to calm public outrage. Critics insisted that joking about child sexual abuse is both dangerous and unacceptable.