*Says Promotion Of His Music Made Him Say Defiled A Minor
*NAPTIP Probes Musician Over Claim
CONTROVERSIAL singer, Speed Darlington, has apologised for the viral video where he claimed to have defiled a 15-year-old.
This came as the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) said Wednesday, May 28, that it had launched an investigation of Darlington, following the emergence of the video on social media, which has led to public outrage.
Following the backlash, the controversial musician claimed his confession was entirely fabricated for entertainment. He said he was only using the fictitious tale to promote his latest song, declaring “I need controversy to eat.”
However, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) addressed the matter, but acknowledged the limitations of its jurisdiction, as the exact location of the incident remains unknown and subsequently referred the case to NAPTIP for investigation.
In a recent video, Darlington said it was a publicity stunt to promote his new song, stressing the need for controversy to stay relevant as an artist.
While apologising to fans and those offended, he stated: “All my followers pissed off about the video I recorded, in which I spoke about me sleeping with a 15-year-old, I am an artist; I need controversy to eat.
“If you are not trending, you are not getting booked. Simple! Nobody is booking something that is not trending.
“I have a new song now. The song is talking about f#ck this, f#ck that. This is my genre. I do not perform Christian music. When I dropped my song, I needed f#ck contents to push it,. That is what I was doing. Don’t give it more like than it is supposed to have.”
Following the unending backlash against the original video in Igbo detailing the alleged encounter, the two agencies took up the matter, with the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) saying it aware of the disturbing video circulating online, in which Darlington allegedly admitted to engaging in unlawful sexual activity with a minor.
The Lagos DSVA said, in a statement: “While the individual in question did not specify the location of the incident during the Instagram Live session, we must clarify that the DSVA’s jurisdiction is limited to Lagos State.
“In view of the above, and in line with our commitment to justice, we have escalated the situation to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). @naptipnigeria.”
The statement reiterated the Lagos State government’s zero-tolerance on sexual and gender-based violence, urging anyone with useful information to come forward, adding: “We appreciate the vigilance of citizens who brought this to our attention and urge the public to continue reporting such cases through the appropriate legal channels.”
On its part, NAPTIP, in a statement on Wednesday, May 28, on X, confirmed that its Cybercrime Response Team had begun analysing the viral video along with other related content attributed to the singer.
It stated: “The NAPTIP Cybercrime Response Team has commenced investigations into the disturbing Instagram live video and other videos made by the same individual.
“We at NAPTIP are committed to a world where children are safe and free from all forms of violence.”
