The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says controversial rapper Darlington Okoye, known as Speed Darlington, is still on its security watchlist. The agency is investigating him over allegations of sexual activity with a minor .
NAPTIP officials confirmed the status on November 24, 2025. The case stems from a May 2024 Instagram Live video where the artist allegedly claimed to have had sexual relations with a 15-year-old girl . The agency states that Okoye was placed on the watchlist after he repeatedly ignored official invitations to appear for questioning at its headquarters in Abuja .
Instead of cooperating with investigators, the rapper used social media to attack the agency. He declared he would not submit to questioning . NAPTIP's Director of Legal and Prosecution, Mrs. Ijeoma Amugo, said the suspect tried to intimidate the organization. She stated that Okoye went to social media to say he would not come and accused the agency of violating his rights .
Efforts to physically locate the rapper at known addresses have not been successful. Law enforcement intelligence reports now indicate he has left Nigeria . Amugo explained that the agency tried its best to find him because you have to locate the suspect before justice can be served . She said their last information is that he is outside the country. The moment he steps back into Nigeria, the investigation will resume .
The agency had previously declared the singer wanted in June 2025. The allegations included rape, cyberbullying, and cyberstalking . In response, Okoye filed a lawsuit against NAPTIP. He insisted he committed no crime and should not have been declared wanted . Reports from July 2025 indicated the agency placed him on an international watchlist. It also offered a bounty for information . Another report mentioned the agency alerted the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) .
The initial incident that triggered the investigation was a live video on Instagram. In it, Okoye allegedly talked about a time he slept with a 15-year-old girl at a hotel . He reportedly said he "disvirgin her and give am 2k" . It was not clear if he was serious or just creating controversial content for his audience . The public then began to pressure NAPTIP to look into the matter .
After people drew the agency's attention to the video, NAPTIP first directed the case to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency. It later decided to handle the investigation itself . The agency has stated that its review is not based on just one video. It also involves other archived videos in circulation where he admitted the same things and made degrading commentary about minors .
NAPTIP has emphasized its commitment to investigating cases of sexual exploitation of minors. It says it will work to bring perpetrators to justice no matter their status . The agency is coordinating with other law enforcement bodies. These include the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and the Department of State Services . This network is intended to track and apprehend the entertainer if he attempts to re-enter the country .
Speed Darlington is a well-known figure in Nigerian pop culture. He is the son of the late singer Pericoma Okoye . He became famous after his song "BangDadaDang!" was released in 2017. The song led to him being widely memed on social media . He lived in the United States for a time but later relocated to Nigeria . The 39-year-old rapper is popular for his online persona. He often talks about sex and how to make money .
This is not his first legal problem. Just months before this case, he was detained by police. That was for a defamation case against the star singer Burna Boy . A viral video had shown Okoye asking Burna Boy a crude question about how he won his Grammy award . That arrest also trended on social media .
For now, the investigation is on hold. NAPTIP says it will only active again if Speed Darlington returns to Nigeria. The agency has made it clear that his place on the security watchlist remains active .