Controversial Nigerian singer, Badmus Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, was on Monday arraigned before the Upper Area Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, following a petition by Fuji music star, Okunola Saheed (aka Saheed Osupa).
Portable faced charges of criminal defamation, criminal intimidation, inciting public disturbance, and cyberstalking. These offences are punishable under multiple sections of the Penal Code, the Cybercrimes Act of 2015, and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law of 2020.
According to the Police First Information Report, Osupa accused Portable of making defamatory statements during a live Instagram broadcast on March 19, 2025. In the video, Portable allegedly claimed that Osupa was envious of his success and had removed his songs from streaming platforms like Apple Music and Spotify to sabotage his earnings.
The singer was quoted saying, “This man dey try to bring down my shine! He be like person wey dey chop snail with its shell—he doesn’t get sense. Osupa na tortoise…”
Osupa described the remarks as false, damaging, and inciting, adding that the video had stirred public unrest and negatively impacted his reputation.
Prosecutor Abubakar Issa asked the court to remand Portable pending the conclusion of police investigations. However, Portable’s lawyer, Barrister Adebayo Isaac, argued that the singer had already been granted administrative bail and posed no flight risk due to his celebrity status and traceable address.
He pleaded for the court to grant bail under Sections 172(1) and 165 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
Chief Magistrate Sunday Adeniyi ruled in favour of the defence, granting Portable bail set at N1 million with two sureties—one of whom must be a chairman in the Performing Musician Association of Nigeria (PMAN), and the other a property owner in the Government Reserve Area (GRA) within the court’s jurisdiction.
The case was adjourned to April 30, 2025, for further hearing.
