Police Defy Court Order To Release Speed Darlington, Deji Adeyanju Alleges

Nigerian lawyer and human rights advocate Deji Adeyanju has criticized the Nigerian police for refusing to release singer Speed Darlington, despite an explicit court order issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, December 23.

Speed Darlington has been in police custody since November 27, following his re-arrest in Owerri, Imo State, for allegedly jumping bail. He was initially detained in October after a petition filed by fellow musician Burna Boy.

Court documents reveal that Speed Darlington was granted unconditional bail, with the legal requirement for his release being the submission of the court ruling to the police legal department. This step would allow the document to be forwarded to the Force Investigation Department (FID), where he is currently held, for compliance.

Despite his legal team submitting the court order to the appropriate police department, the authorities have yet to act or comply with the directive.

December 27 marks one month since the singer’s re-arrest, and his continued detention has sparked outrage.

Reacting to the situation, Adeyanju called the police’s actions a blatant disregard for the judiciary, stating, “This is the highest form of disrespect to the judiciary.”