Saheed Osupa Withdraws Defamation Case Against Portable After Arrest

• Apr 15, 2025

Nigerian Fuji music veteran, Saheed Osupa, has decided to withdraw his defamation case against controversial Afrobeats artist, Portable, after the latter was remanded at the Oke Kura Correctional Centre in Ilorin. Portable, whose real name is Habeeb Okikiola Badmus, was arrested on Sunday, April 13, 2025, following accusations from Osupa. The charges included criminal defamation, threats to life, incitement, character assassination, and conduct likely to disturb public peace.

The 31-year-old singer was granted bail on Monday, April 14, 2025, in the sum of ₦1 million, under the condition that he provide two sureties: one must be a senior official of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN), while the other must own a property in a Government Reserved Area with a valid Certificate of Occupancy. However, Portable failed to meet these conditions, resulting in his remand.

Osupa’s legal team issued a statement explaining that the defamation charges against Portable were filed in response to what they viewed as repeated violations of intellectual property rights and unacceptable public misconduct by the artist. They clarified that the legal action was not taken lightly but was intended to set a precedent against such behaviour, particularly among younger artists.

While the case has now been withdrawn, Osupa’s team emphasized that the decision was made out of compassion, with the hope that this incident would serve as a turning point for Portable’s career and personal conduct. They expressed a desire for the situation to lead to positive changes in the artist's approach to both his career and his public image.

This withdrawal marks the end of one chapter in the ongoing public dispute between the two artists, but the case and its aftermath are likely to continue to be discussed within Nigeria's music industry.