Renowned lawyer Deji Adeyanju has expressed deep frustration over the prolonged detention of Nigerian rapper Speed Darlington, despite a Federal High Court ruling that granted him unconditional bail.
Speed Darlington has been in police custody since November 27, following his re-arrest in Owerri, Imo State. This re-arrest was reportedly initiated by a petition filed by fellow artist Burna Boy, which had previously led to Speed Darlington’s initial detention in October.
On December 23, the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered Speed Darlington’s release, stipulating that his legal team only needed to present the court’s ruling to the police legal department for processing. The department was expected to forward the order to the Force Investigation Department (FID), where he is being held, to facilitate his release.
Although the legal team has reportedly complied by submitting the necessary documents, the police have yet to act, keeping the rapper in custody.
Taking to his X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, Adeyanju condemned the Nigerian Police for disregarding the court’s directive.
“The Nigerian Police have refused to release Speed Darlington, a.k.a AKPI, despite the explicit order of the Federal High Court. This is the height of disrespect for the judiciary,” Adeyanju wrote.
His statement has raised widespread concerns about the rule of law and the implications of police defiance of court orders. Public calls are growing for Speed Darlington’s immediate release and for measures to uphold the credibility of Nigeria’s judicial system.
As of now, the Nigerian Police Force has not issued an official statement on the matter.
