Court adjourns Speed Darlington’s N300 million rights suit against IGP

On Monday, January 27, 2025, a Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned the N300 million fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by singer Darlington Achakpo, popularly known as Speed Darlington, against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP). The case was adjourned until March 19, 2025, for the adoption of processes.
Justice Musa Liman set the date after the police’s counsel, CSP Audu Garba, informed the court that a further counter affidavit had been filed in response to Speed Darlington’s affidavit submitted during the last hearing. The singer’s lawyer, Rosemary Hamza, stated that she had not yet been served with the new documents and needed time to respond.
In his suit, Speed Darlington, represented by his lawyer Deji Adeyanju, is seeking a declaration that his arrest and detention violated his fundamental rights as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution. The artist, who has been detained since 2024, is requesting the following orders:
- Immediate and unconditional release from detention.
- An order for the IGP to present him before the court to inquire into the grounds of his arrest and detention, and potentially grant bail.
- Payment of ₦300 million in general, exemplary, and aggravated damages for unlawful and continued detention.
Speed Darlington claims he was first arrested on October 4, 2024, for allegedly defaming musician Burna Boy. He was detained for five days under harsh conditions without being formally charged. He was later granted bail, but was arrested again on November 27, 2024, for allegedly violating administrative bail conditions, despite informing the police about his medical emergency and his travel plans for a performance.
In response, the police countered that Burna Boy had filed a petition accusing Speed Darlington of making threats and intimidating his followers, based on an incident from September 2024. The police also claimed that the singer had voluntarily admitted to the offense during questioning, a statement Speed Darlington has since denied.
Meanwhile, on January 15, 2025, Speed Darlington was granted bail by Justice Ekerete Akpan in a separate case involving alleged cybercrime, with a bail sum set at ₦20 million and one surety.