Several Nigerian celebrities have been into legal problems, and despite their celebrity, they have always had to accept responsibility for their actions.In this article, we have 10 Nigerian musicians who have been arrested and incarcerated listed.
Nigerian musicians, like the rest of us, have run-ins with the law, resulting in their arrest and imprisonment in police custody or, in extreme situations, in prison.
1. Burna Boy
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogunlu, Grammy-winning singer Burna Boy, before fame was arrested in the UK in 2010 for a gang-related stabbing. He pled not guilty and was sentenced to prison, but he was released after 11 months on parole for good behaviour.
The self-proclaimed African Giant escaped the UK and returned to Nigeria to begin his music career before his parole in the UK expired.
However, after his release from prison, Burna Boy moved to Nigeria to launch his music career before his parole expired. Who knew that in 2023, he would be hailed as Africa’s biggest star and a 10-time Grammy nominee?
2. Tems
Temilade Openiyi, professionally known as Tems ran into difficulty in December 2020 when she was arrested in Kampala, Uganda. According to sources, she was arrested for violating COVID-19 protocols. Tems had taken part in a concert that had been criticised for violating the COVID-19 regulations that were in effect at the time.
The criminals were labelled as self-centered by Ugandan law enforcement. They stated that they were “determined to violate the COVID-19 instructions.” This was done to make a profit while endangering the lives of many Ugandans.” As a result, Tems and her manager were detained by police for two days before being released. They will return to Nigeria on December 17, 2020. Tems published a statement expressing her regret in response to the occurrence. She stated that the guests could have been exposed to COVID-19.
Meanwhile, Tems’ manager, Awoniyi, said in an interview that Tems led praise and worship when she was incarcerated.
3. Omah lay
Stanley Omah Didia known professionally as Omah Lay, like Tems, was apprehended in Uganda. When he and Tems travelled to Uganda to perform at a concert in December 2020. This was supposed to be a night of music and entertainment for their followers.Unfortunately, the situation quickly devolved into a nightmare when Ugandan officials arrested both performers for allegedly breaking the COVID-19 restrictions.
Omah Lay expressed his disappointment with the turn of events on social media. He admitted to being handled “like an ordinary thief.” The artist remarked that the previous few days had been the most difficult of his life. The Nigerian government helped secure the release of Omah Lay and Tems, who were remanded in police custody for two days before being released and returning to Nigeria.
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4. Portable
Habeeb Okikiola popularly known as Portable was apprehended by Ogun Police Command officers on Friday, March 31, 2023, after failing to surrender despite being given an ultimatum.
The rapper was captured on camera cursing at police officials who came to his pub in Ogun State’s Sanga Ota town to arrest him. He refused to comply with the officers, claiming that he was a baboon and therefore could not be arrested.The Ogun Police Command arraigned Portable on five offences, including assault, unruly conduct, and theft of musical equipment. He was accused of stealing musical instruments.
The court presiding in Ifo town, Ifo Local Government Area, Ogun State, granted Portable bail on Monday, April 3, 2023, after he was remanded in the Ilaro Correctional Centre to fulfil his bail conditions.
The former apprentice of the Zazoo crooner reported him to the police. The artist stated that he scolded and fired the apprentice for his refusal to reform.
Portable claims that the former employee went to the police station and filed an assault charge against him for simply correcting him. He justified his acts by claiming to be the apprentice’s supervisor and that he disciplined him by beating him.
Following the expiration of his ultimatum, police entered Portable’s pub in Ogun state’s Sango Ota region and arrested him. However, things changed drastically once Portable questioned the arrest and refused to comply with the authorities. He also started an Instagram Live to update his fans on the issue. He was unable to be captured after insulting the cops and referring to himself as a baboon.
Portable was charged with assault, unruly conduct, and theft of musical equipment by the Ogun Police Command a few days after the event.
The court presiding in Ifo town, Ifo Local Government Area, Ogun State, granted Portable bail of N300,000 on Monday, April 3, 2023, after he was kept in the Ilaro Correctional Centre to fulfil his bail conditions.
5. Sinzu
Rapper Babalola Falemi, also known as Sinzu, was arrested and sentenced to two years in prison for aggravated identity theft.
Sinzu, also known as Sauce Kid, was detained in the United States in 2017 as he was about to board a trip for stealing more than $15,000 through credit card theft.
He was carrying $6000 in cash and a device used to programme bank cards. He was sentenced to two years in prison. After his release, he tweeted that he committed the crime and served his sentence.
6. D’Banj
Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo also known as D’Banj, a popular Nigerian artist, was arrested and held by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in December 2022.
The musician was apprehended after ICPC agents surrounded him, forcing him to surrender at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja on fraud allegations.
D’Banj was accused of fraudulently diverting hundreds of millions of naira designated by the Nigerian government for the N-Power initiative, an empowerment scheme launched by the Nigerian government in 2016 to combat youth unemployment and promote social development.
D’banj, on the other hand, was sliced up in another criminal allegation on December 6, 2022, after being accused of diversion of money related with the Nigerian government’s N-power initiative, which was established in 2016 to combat youth unemployment and improve social development. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arrested and detained him.
After 72 hours in ICPC detention, he was freed.
Meanwhile, D’banj was exonerated of all rape and fraud charges by the Nigerian police force and the ICPC on December 1 after investigations showed clear evidence of his innocence.
7. Seun Kuti
Seun Kuti, the son of Afrobeat musician Fela Kuti, was arrested after allegedly attacking a police officer in uniform.
In May 2023, IGP Usman Alkali Baba directed the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, to arrest Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti after he was seen on film beating a police officer in uniform.
A Lagos State Magistrate’s Court in Yaba placed the Afrobeat artist in police detention for 48 hours to allow the police to complete their investigation into an assault allegation levelled against him.
Seun, on the other hand, surrendered to the Lagos State Police Command in Ikeja, escorted by his lawyer and family representatives.
Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun, who presided over the case, also directed the police to release the musician on bail after the specified term and to forward the case file to the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.
8. Nairamarley
Azeez Adeshina Fashola, also known as Naira Marley, is a Nigerian artist who was detained alongside four others for alleged money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, or EFCC.
Naira Marley, a notorious Nigerian rapper, has been arrested and incarcerated multiple times. Prior to becoming famous, Naira Marley was arrested 124 times in Peckham, United Kingdom, on gangsterism and drug charges.
Marley was detained by the EFCC on May 10, 2019, for suspected online scamming and money laundering operations after returning to Nigeria to launch his music career.
Despite the fact that the other detainees were released five days later, Naira Marley remained detained owing to suspicious materials discovered on his computer. He faced 11 charges and was held in Ikoyi Prison for several days before being granted bail. The bail conditions required him to give two sureties, each of whom had to guarantee an amount of 2 million naira.
He must return to court on March 6 and 7, 2024, to continue his trial.
Naira Marley was arrested for the second time in September, following the death of his signee, Mohbad. When he arrived in Nigeria, he was arrested at the airport to assist the authorities with their investigation. This comes after multiple videos appeared on social media showing Larry and some guys apparently associated to Marley severely assaulting the late Mohbad.
On October 4, 2023, a Magistrate Court in Yaba, Lagos State, remanded him in police custody for 21 days after his arrest, notwithstanding the Lagos State Police Command’s request for a 30-day remand.
However, on November 6, 2023, a Magistrate Court in Yaba, Lagos State, granted him bail in the amount of N20 million. In addition, the court ordered him to surrender his international passports and report to the state CID every Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Naira Marley was released on bond on November 16 after completing his sentence.
9. Dammy Krane
On Friday, June 2, 2017, popular musician Johnson Oyindamola, also known as Dammy Krane, was arrested in Florida on allegations of theft, credit card scam, and fraud. According to reports, an American jet firm, Tapjets, accused the artist of attempting to book a private jet with them using five different credit cards that did not belong to him. He was released from Miami jail after meeting his bond conditions, which were set at $7,500, after pleading not guilty to the charges and demanding a jury trial. The singer was given legal representation and was scheduled to appear in court on June 23, 2017. In August 2017, American courts dismissed all allegations brought against him, including credit card forgery, armed conspiracy, and grand theft.
On September 16, 2019, he was further charged with three counts of threatening life, defamation, and behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace by the Lagos State Police Command. He entered a not guilty plea to the allegations. He was, however, granted bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in the same amount, and the matter was delayed to October 11.
10. Skales
Raoul John Njeng-Njeng, popularly known as Skales, a Nigerian rapper, was arrested in 2016 along with his former manager Osagie for defrauding his record label, Baseline Records. The duo was also accused of stealing monies intended for the record label. Skales and his manager, according to Baseline, were making undocumented funds.
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The rapper was finally released, but his manager was detained for a longer period of time before being released.