The NAPTIP has included Speed Darlington’s name on an “international watchlist” after he “ignored multiple summons.”

It was gathered that a “bounty has also been placed on Speed Darlington” amid rumors that he has “departed Nigeria.”

Earlier report had it that Speed Darlington “insisted he committed no crime,” dismissing the allegations against him as “baseless.”

Controversial singer and content creator Darlington Okoye, aka Speed Darlington or Akpi, has been added to the “international watchlist” after he “ignored multiple summons” over a “viral video of confession to sleeping with a minor.”

According to The Punch, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) on “Monday, June 30,” said it had “added Speed Darlington’s name on an international watchlist.”

The report added that the agency was also “considering a N50m bounty on the singer” after the “duration of the wanted status.” “We are collaborating with the Nigeria Immigration Service, the Police, the DSS, and even the Interpol. We have put all of them on procedural notice so that wherever they see him, they can take action. The reason we did this is because we have given him enough opportunity,” NAPTIP’s Chief Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye told The Punch.

It was earlier reported that NAPTIP “declared Speed Darlington wanted” in connection with “alleged offenses.” However, in a “viral video,” the singer stated he had “committed no crime” and dismissed the allegations as “baseless.”

Speed Darlington also accused NAPTIP of seeking “social-media clout” and demanded a “N2.5m appearance fee.”

Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump have resumed their verbal attacks after a period of quiet following their public fallout.

As the US Senate debated Trump’s controversial “Big, Beautiful Bill” on Monday ahead of a final vote, Musk issued warnings to lawmakers supporting the bill.

“Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame!” he posted on his social media platform X.

“And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.”

Musk also threatened to publish their photos on a poster labeled “liar”, “voted to increase America’s DEBT” by $5 trillion.

The billionaire further reposted tweets that opposed the bill and supported his position.

Trump responded quickly.

The president said Musk was fully aware—long before publicly endorsing him—that he strongly opposed the electric vehicle (EV) mandate.

In earlier exchanges, Trump alleged Musk only objected to the bill after discovering it would eliminate the EV mandate, an accusation Musk denied.

“Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa,” Trump posted on his Truth Social account early Tuesday.

“No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE.

“Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”

The Fallout

Musk previously led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) before resigning a day after publicly criticizing Trump’s bill.

DOGE was Musk’s initiative during Trump’s re-election campaign, positioned as a government cost-cutting agency.

Since Trump’s inauguration on January 20, DOGE has eliminated 11 federal agencies and reportedly laid off about 250,000 federal employees.

The agency claimed it had saved taxpayers $160 billion toward its $2 trillion goal.

Following their fallout, Trump and Musk have exchanged multiple threats.

As part of the fallout’s aftermath, Trump vowed to cancel federal contracts linked to Musk’s companies.

He also mentioned that allies had contacted him to suggest investigations into Musk’s business activities and immigration history.

Last month, the president stated he had no interest in repairing his relationship with Musk.

Meanwhile, the Tesla CEO has continued to push for the formation of a new political party.

The United States government has initiated formal steps to revoke the citizenship of certain naturalised citizens based on a newly revealed Justice Department memo, which instructs federal attorneys to prioritise denaturalisation for individuals who committed certain crimes or gave false information during their naturalisation.

According to a report by The Guardian on Monday, the memo, dated June 11, calls for civil actions against individuals who either “illegally procured” naturalisation or obtained it through “concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.”

In contrast to criminal cases, individuals facing civil denaturalisation are not guaranteed legal representation, and the standard of proof required by the government is lower.

At the heart of the development are approximately 25 million US citizens who were born abroad and later naturalised, based on 2023 data. The memo outlines 10 priority categories for denaturalisation.

The memo notes that those subject to civil proceedings are not entitled to legal counsel as they would be in criminal proceedings.

Additionally, the government carries a lighter burden of proof in civil matters than in criminal ones.

The directive specifies that efforts will target individuals involved “in the commission of war crimes, extrajudicial killings, or other serious human rights abuses … [and] naturalized criminals, gang members, or, indeed, any individuals convicted of crimes who pose an ongoing threat to the US”.

The civil rights division of the Justice Department has been central to implementing Trump’s policy goals, which include ending diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in government and halting transgender healthcare, among others.

This comes as the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency recorded its 13th in-custody death for the fiscal year starting October 2024. In comparison, there were 12 deaths throughout the previous fiscal year ending in September 2024.

On Friday, Jim Ryan, president of the University of Virginia, stepped down amid an investigation by the Justice Department’s civil rights division.

The investigation scrutinised the university’s DEI programs and its continued use of race and ethnicity in certain initiatives and scholarships.

In recent days, the Justice Department also filed lawsuits against 15 US district attorneys in Maryland for issuing an order that halted the immediate deportation of migrants contesting their removal.

Reports suggest that the civil rights division is undergoing major changes, shifting away from its historic role in fighting racial discrimination and aligning more with directives from presidential executive orders.

National Public Radio reported that between January and May, around 250 attorneys—roughly 70% of the division’s legal staff—had left the department.

The denaturalisation push has already seen results, as one person has lost citizenship in recent weeks.

On June 13, a judge revoked the citizenship of Elliott Duke, a US military veteran originally from the UK, who was convicted of distributing child sexual abuse content and failed to disclose the offence during his naturalisation process.

Immigration lawyers have raised concerns that civil denaturalisation removes certain rights from individuals, including access to legal counsel and higher evidentiary standards, while also speeding up the process.

“It is kind of, in a way, trying to create a second class of US citizens,” said Sameera Hafiz, policy director of the Immigration Legal Resource Center, speaking to NPR.