Portable Escapes Re-Arrest After Prison Release

Controversial Nigerian singer, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, narrowly avoided re-arrest on Tuesday following the dramatic withdrawal of a police petition filed against him by veteran fuji musician, Saheed Osupa.

The petition had accused Portable of criminal defamation, intimidation, cyberstalking, and inciting public disturbance over a viral Instagram Live session on March 19, 2025, in which he allegedly made defamatory remarks about the fuji icon.

Acting on the petition, the Kwara State Police Command arrested the singer and arraigned him before an Upper Area Court in Ilorin. Portable was slammed with multiple charges under Sections 392, 114, and 397 of the Penal Code and provisions of the Cybercrimes Act, 2015. He was initially denied bail on Monday after failing to meet the conditions set by the presiding magistrate, Sunday Adeniyi, and was remanded at the Federal Correctional Facility in Oke Kura, Ilorin.

However, the case took a surprising turn on Tuesday when Osupa, through his legal counsel, Opalekunde Ahmed, officially withdrew the petition. The decision followed intervention by top industry stakeholders and prominent figures who brokered peace between both artistes.

Portable was subsequently released and immediately left Ilorin, seemingly putting the saga behind him.

But just as one legal hurdle cleared, another emerged.

The management of Starwood Hotels in Ilorin accused Portable of breaching a performance contract and fraudulently receiving payment without rendering services. According to the hotel’s Managing Director, Mr. Yemi George, the singer was paid N6.3 million for a scheduled performance at the Kwara Tampan Fiesta on September 29, 2023, but allegedly arrived 16 hours late and disappeared without performing.

George said he had gathered all legal documentation to pursue the matter and re-arrest the singer on Tuesday but held back out of respect for Saheed Osupa, who had just resolved his own dispute with Portable.

“I have all the evidence needed to re-arrest him and demand a refund,” George said. “But out of respect for the legendary Saheed Osupa, who appealed for calm, I decided not to go ahead—for now.”

A formal petition titled “Petition for Fraudulent and Obtaining by False Pretence the Sum of N6.3 Million” has been filed by Starwood Hotels, urging authorities to investigate, prosecute, and ensure full restitution of the funds allegedly obtained under false pretenses.

With legal troubles continuing to trail the singer, many are left wondering if Portable’s knack for controversy will ever subside—or if this is just another chapter in his long-running public drama.
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