Controversial Nigerian singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has been cleared of charges brought against him by Fuji musician, Okunola Saheed, also known as Saheed Osupa.
The case was officially withdrawn by Osupa’s lawyer, Ahmed Opalekunde, who confirmed the development on Tuesday.
The case had been filed at the Upper Area Court 1, High Court, Ilorin, after the Kwara State Police Command charged Portable on Monday following Osupa’s petition.
Osupa had accused Portable of criminal defamation, criminal intimidation, inciting public disturbance, and cyberstalking. The charges were based on alleged violations of several legal provisions, including Sections 392, 114, and 397 of the Penal Code; Sections 24(1)(b) and 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015; and Sections 10 and 13 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2020.
According to Opalekunde, Osupa decided to withdraw the case after interventions from music industry stakeholders and respected public figures.
The withdrawal letter stated, “It’s our client’s (nominal complainant) instruction that the stakeholders in the music industry and other notable personalities in the society have intervened in the matter and pleaded to the nominal complainant to withdraw the case against the defendant in the interest of public peace.”
The letter further requested the court to terminate the case, emphasizing that it had been settled amicably. However, it warned Portable to refrain from making any future defamatory statements.
“Further, sir, we want to pray the court to admonish and warn the defendant to desist from any further publications, utterances and any other acts aiming at disparaging the person and businesses of the nominal complainant.”
The legal dispute stemmed from a live Instagram video aired by Portable on March 19, 2025, in which he allegedly made defamatory remarks about Osupa.
The Fuji star claimed that the video damaged his reputation and incited public unrest.
He also alleged that Portable falsely claimed to have removed his music from platforms like Apple Music and Spotify.
In the viral video, Portable had said, “This man dey try to bring down my shine! He be like person wey dey chop snail with shell—him no get sense. Osupa na tortoise. When Apple Music and Spotify wan drop money for me, na him remove my song from platform make I no see money.”
Following the arraignment, Chief Magistrate Sunday Adeniyi had granted Portable bail on Monday. The bail was set at N1 million with two sureties—one being a chairman in the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) and the other a property owner in the Government Reserved Area under the court’s jurisdiction.
With the case now withdrawn and settled out of court, both parties appear to be moving forward, though Osupa has made it clear that he expects no further provocation from the singer.
