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Whether it was confrontations with authorities, fraud allegations, defamation suits or contentious social media spats spilling into courtrooms, some of Nigeria’s biggest names found themselves on the defamation side of the law.
This article explores ten notable instances where Nigerian celebrities faced legal troubles in 2024.
1. Bobrisky vs EFCC for Naira Abuse
For Nigerian social media personality Bobrisky, 2024 is definitely a year he won’t forget in a hurry.
The socialite has had multiple run-ins with the law this year, starting from when he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for ‘Spraying and busing the naira’ in April 2024 and sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty.
2. Bobrisky vs. FG for allegedly spending sentence outside of prison
After Bobrisky was released, a viral voicenote of his made rounds on social media in which he claimed that he did not carry out his full sentence in prison, promting the authorities to look into it.
However, at the end of the panel on on Monday, October 21, it was confirmed that there was no evidence to support claims that Bobrisky spent part of her six-month prison sentence outside Kirikiri Correctional Centre.
3. Bobrisky’s attempt to flee at the Seme border
Again, in October 2024, Bobrisky had another run-in with the law when he was arrested at the Seme border while on the verge of departing the shores of Nigeria.
Just when Bobrisky thought he had caught a break, in November 2024, Nigerian authorities halted the aircraft he was on, just before takeoff and forcefully escorted him out in full view of passengers.
The viral video made rounds across social media, sparking discussions and reactions about his unfair treatment, which Bobrisky alleged had led to injuries.
5. Portable arrested for not paying debt for his new car
Street-pop artist Portable has made headlines for the wrong reasons several times this year.
In May 2023, he was arrested for refusing to pay the remaining ₦14 million debt he incurred after buying a ₦27 million G-Waggon from a car dealer.
Trending videos showed the moment he was approached by the officers who read his arrest warrant out to him, just before he swiftly flew over a nearby gate and ran away.
Another trending video showed that he had been apprehended. Portable was then dragged and carried by multiple police officers into their patrol van and taken away.
A video subsequently surfaced showing him resisting arrest at his bar in Ogun State. His refusal to comply with law enforcement’s directives resulted in a brief detention and public condemnation of his behavior.
6. VeryDarkMan’s Arrest by Iyabo Ojo, Tonto Dikeh
On March 22, 2024, self-proclaimed activist VeryDarkMan (VDM) was arrested and detained for allegedly cyberbullying actresses Tonto Dikeh and Iyabo Ojo.
He was subsequently remanded in police custody after appearing before the court on a five-count charge.
VeryDarkMan’s alleged offences also included accusing Tonto of being associated with the faceless Gistlover blog.
7. VDM goes to court over defamation claims
September 24, 2024, marked the beginning of a different legal issue for VDM, after he released a scathing viral audio where popular socialite, Bobrisky allegedly claimed that some unnamed EFCC officers collected ₦15 million from him to drop money laundering charges against him.
It was also suggested that Falz and his father Femi Falana aided Bobrisky in dropping those charges.
However, after Falz issued a 24-hour withdrawal ultimatum which VDM ignored, the defamation case was taken to court.
8. Speed Darlington Vs Burna Boy
In October 2024, Nigerian social media personality and singer Speed Darlington was arrested following a defamation petition by Burna Boy.
This was after Speed shared a video where he suggested that Burna Boy had untowards affiliations with American rapper Diddy, who was arrested for sex trafficking and other crimes.
The video gained traction and following Speed Darlington’s arrest, he quickly became the talk of the town online.
9. Speed Darlington arrested again
In November 2024, Speed Darlington was arrested yet again by the Nigerian police in Owerri, Imo State for undisclosed reasons.
The news was then shared by human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju, who took to his X page to inform the general public of the latest arrest of his client.
10. Dammy Krane arrested for defaming Davido
Back in August 2024, Verydarkman revealed that singer Dammy Krane had been arrested and detained after his relentless online attacks on Davido’s person.
He begged on the singer’s behalf, appealing to Davido to kindly let him go. In his post on August 28, 2024, VDM described an encounter at a police station where he witnessed Dammy Krane in custody.
According to VDM, he was visiting the station to thank police officers who had assisted him in his activism work.
During his visit, he encountered a man who claimed to have seen a celebrity with dreadlocks in a cell.
The next day after VDM’s plea, Dammy Krane was released from the prison.
