Controversial Nigerian singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has been dragged before the office of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the American Embassy in Nigeria over a series of criminal allegations made by US-based musicians, Dr Fortunate Egbuchere and Prince Egbuchere.
According to the petition on Wednesday, the lawyer of the US-based singers said the “Zazuu” crooner was alleged to have committed various types of crimes.
The lawyer said the crimes include, criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, conduct likely to cause breach of peace, criminal conversion, armed robbery, stealing, criminal assault, assault occasioning harm, threat to life, criminal defamation, extortion, obtaining by pretense, false imprisonment, misrepresentation and making of false information to the police.”
The petition which was signed by the counsel of the claimants, Kayode Mogbojuri Esq, Solicitors to Dr. Fortunate Egbuchere and Prince Egbuchere said both were working and trading under the E-Square Records.
“The duo being Nigeria-America citizens with promising music careers in the United States of America (USA) sometime in the year 2023, decided to have a music collaboration with Portable and they opened a conversation through his manager.
“Following the music collaboration, Portable charged the duo with a total sum of N2,500,000 which will entail making of audio and video recording.
“However, on the day of the music video, Portable refused to show up, but hours after he was eventually reached by our client, he declared that he would only make himself available for the video shooting if and only if our clients paid him additional N1,000,000.”
The petition reads in part, “That our client fulfilled their part of the contract by paying the said N2,500,000 in two tranches. Habeeb Okikiola did the audio recording and sent it to our clients in America and our clients are very satisfied with the audio recording till date.
“That the video shooting of our clients’ video with Zazu was expected to be made sometime in September 2023.
“Our client who got hinted that Potable will be having a global musical tour and America was one of his destinations reached out to his manager peradventure the video shooting can be done in America.
“That Portable declined to have the video shouting in America because it was not part of the activities lined up by his promoters.
“Our clients resolved to have the video shoot in Nigeria and have been in Nigeria since December 2023. That our client on the 21st day of January 2023 got an apartment at Divine Homes No. 6 Engineer Benson Osika Street for the video shooting.
“Our client slated the video shooting for 4:00 pm on the 21st day of February 2023 having made all preparations by spending millions of naira to put in place the costumes and other required personnel.
“That Portable refused to show up for the video shooting hours after he was eventually reached by our client, he declared that he would only make himself available for the video shooting if and only if our clients pay him an additional N1,000,000.
“Our client after pressure from one of the conspirators eventually paid an extra N1,000,000 to portable and he arrived late at night for the video shooting.
“That after the video shooting, one of our clients Prince Egbuchere walked up to Portable and asked him why he demanded for extra one million naira contrary to the earlier agreement.
“That Portable in his usual manner became violent against our clients by assaulting them.
“That in the course of assaulting our clients, portable’s manager mobilised thugs aided by some policemen, and our clients were thoroughly beaten. That in the course of the assault on our clients, portable with some of his thugs under the watch of the police they locked the main entrance of the apartment and further assaulted our clients.
“That our clients managed to escape through the back door and were whisked away by good Samaritans as they are not familiar with the terrain.
“That the following were looted from our client by Habeeb Okikiola aka Portable Zazu from our clients.
“That Portable has been making videos on social media putting on some of the expensive costumes he looted from our client and has been boasting around that he is untouchable.
“That Habeeb Okikiola has been making false publications against our client in order to alter the narration of facts with the intent of injuring the reputation of our clients.”