Headlines

Controversial Nigerian rapper Darlington Okoye, popularly known as Speed Darlington or Akpi, has sparked widespread anger across Nigeria after confessing on a live stream to engaging in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl in a hotel on Children’s Day, May 27, 2025.

The admission, which included claims of enticing the minor with 2,000 Naira, has ignited a firestorm of criticism on social media platform X, with many Nigerians labeling the act as rape and child prostitution, and calling for his immediate arrest and prosecution.

In a series of posts on X, users expressed shock and disgust, with some accusing the rapper of predatory behavior. One user, @lotxnna, wrote, “Speed Darlington needs to be arrested and charged with rape of a minor. He confessed unprovoked to raping a 15-year-old girl in a hotel recently.

He also enticed her with 2000 Naira which is child prostitution.” Another user, @kelechicollin13, shared a video allegedly showing Darlington confessing to sexual encounters with minors, including a 14-year-old, and urged authorities such as the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (@Lagosdsva) and the Nigeria Police (@PoliceNG) to take action, stating, “Here is a pedophile right in front of you.
He needs to be arrested asap.”

The confession, reportedly made during a live stream, has fueled accusations of selective outrage, with @BENNY7GG
noting, “Speed Darlington really said he made out with a 15-year-old on Children’s Day and Nigerians are still yet to call for his arrest, some are even laughing.

Just another obvious example that selective outrage is a thing.” Others, like @Chiomabonny, expressed frustration with Nigeria’s legal system, stating, “I hope Nigerian police will see this video and take action.

Speed Darlington is a pedo, and he is admitting to sleeping with a minor. Nigeria is a curse.”

The timing of the confession on Children’s Day, a national holiday dedicated to celebrating and protecting children, has further amplified public outrage.

Users such as @YarKafanchan emphasized the severity of the situation, posting, “Speed Darlington admitted to r*ping a 15-year-old child in Nigeria.

This is not a joke, he said it on camera. Please don’t be lax with your job, he shouldn’t be walking free.”

As of now, no official statement has been released by the Nigeria Police or other authorities regarding the latest allegations against Darlington.

The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (@naptipnigeria), tagged by several X users, have yet to confirm whether an investigation has been launched.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has stepped in to halt the enforcement of property seizures initiated by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), led by Minister Nyesom Wike, over unpaid ground rent.

On Monday, FCTA officials sealed off multiple properties across the city, including those reportedly belonging to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), leading to widespread public criticism.

In a swift response, President Tinubu ordered a temporary suspension of the takeover operations and granted affected property owners a 14-day window.

A statement issued by Chijioke Nwankwoeze, Director of Land Administration for the FCT, announcing the development reads:
“Today, May 26, 2025, we commenced enforcement on the 4,794 properties revoked for non-payment of Ground Rent, from 10 to 43 years.

“Properties owned by government institutions, corporate organisations and individuals were affected. This demonstrates the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s commitment to carrying out its functions without fear or favour.

“However, the President, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, has intervened. Therefore, by Mr. President’s intervention, holders of the affected properties now have 14 days (TWO WEEKS) to settle the outstanding Ground Rents, with associated penalties.

“For properties in the Central Area, the sum of N5 million will be paid by the defaulters as penalty, in addition to the Ground Rent owed.

“Those in Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, and Guzape Districts will pay the sum of N3 million as penalty, in addition to the Ground Rent owed.

“Defaulters in Wuse I, Garki I and Garki II will pay N2 million as penalty in addition to the Ground Rent owed.

“Also, all those who purchased properties from other people, but are yet to register their interests by obtaining the mandatory Minister’s Consent and registering their Deeds of Assignment now have 14 days (TWO WEEKS) to do so at the FCT Department of Land Administration.

“Furthermore, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, has granted a 14 days (TWO WEEKS) grace period to all property holders in the FCT to pay up their Right of Occupancy (R-of-O)/Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) bills, or risk revocation of those titles.

“Going forward, the Minister has advised property owners in the FCT to ensure that they pay all necessary bills and charges on their properties as at and when due, so as to enable the government to continue to carry out necessary developmental projects for the benefit of the people.”

The factional National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Barrister Julius Abure, has stated that Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, does not have the authority to negotiate any coalition or alliance on behalf of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Amid speculation surrounding Obi’s recent declaration of interest to run again in 2027 under the LP platform, Abure clarified that the party’s presidential ticket remains open and will be contested in accordance with its internal rules.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the party firmly rejected any coalition talks linked to Obi, stating: “We have consistently maintained that the Labour Party will not engage in any coalition or merger ahead of the 2027 general election. Obi’s continued involvement with such coalition efforts is not only inappropriate but unacceptable to the party. It undermines the authority of the party leadership and disregards the internal processes that guide our decision-making.”

The statement further noted that although the party, during its 2024 National Convention, had offered automatic tickets to Obi and its only governor, that decision had been reversed following a review of the party’s constitution and guidelines.

The party also criticised Obi for attending a recent pro-coalition meeting in Abuja without prior consultation or approval from the party’s leadership.

“This move is confusing and suggests that Peter Obi has yet to fully clarify his intentions for the 2027 presidential election,” the statement added.

The LP reiterated that its 2027 presidential ticket is open to all eligible aspirants and will be determined through a transparent and democratic process.

The Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) on Monday sealed the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) located in the Zone 5 area of Abuja over non-payment of ground rent.

The development was confirmed by Lere Olayinka, spokesperson to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

“FCTA seals PDP Secretariat in Zone 5, Abuja. It was revoked for not paying ground rent,” Olayinka said in a statement.

He explained that the property, owned by Senator Samaila Mamman Kurfi, had accumulated unpaid ground rent for 28 years, prompting the FCTA to take action.

The sealing of the property comes amid ongoing efforts by the FCT administration to enforce compliance with land use regulations and recover outstanding dues.

More than 200,000 additional candidates have scored above the 200-mark average in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) following a resit conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

The resit, held for 379,000 candidates in Lagos and South-East states, was organised to address technical and human errors that affected the original examination. JAMB released the resit results on Sunday.

According to the board, 1,365,479 candidates—representing 70.7 per cent of the 1.9 million total candidates—still scored below 200 after both the original UTME and the resit.

The initial results released on May 9, 2025, showed that over 1.5 million candidates scored below the 200 mark out of a possible 400, sparking nationwide concern.

Amid growing public pressure, JAMB launched an internal review and identified both technical faults and human errors in its system. The discovery led to the decision to conduct a resit for the affected candidates.

The latest figures show a reduction in the number of candidates scoring below 200, from over 1.5 million to 1,365,479—indicating that more than 200,000 candidates improved their scores in the resit.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has withdrawn a bill seeking to make voting compulsory for all eligible Nigerians.

The proposed legislation, co-sponsored with Daniel Asama Ago, aimed to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to boost voter turnout and strengthen the country’s democratic processes.

In a statement released on Monday by his media aide, Musa Krishi, the Speaker said the decision followed wide consultations with individuals and groups across the country.

“From the start, the goal was to get more people involved in elections and strengthen democracy by boosting voter turnout,” the statement read.

The bill had passed second reading in the House on Thursday, but it triggered mixed reactions. While some supported it as a means to improve participation in elections, others criticised it as an infringement on personal freedom and questioned its feasibility in a country as diverse as Nigeria.

Citing examples from countries such as Australia, Belgium, and Brazil where compulsory voting has resulted in higher voter participation, Abbas acknowledged that Nigeria must adopt a system that aligns with its unique realities.

“Lawmaking is about serving the people, and any new law must respect personal freedom,” he said.

He added that rather than enforcing mandatory voting, efforts would now shift towards encouraging electoral participation, particularly among youths and first-time voters.

“This withdrawal gives us time to talk more about how to build a culture of voluntary voting that supports our democracy and respects citizens’ rights,” Abbas stated.

Public opposition to the bill had been strong, with many Nigerians urging lawmakers to address underlying issues affecting voter turnout, such as electoral violence, distrust in the system, and poor election-day logistics.