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Veteran rapper Ruggedman is reportedly being detained by the Nigerian police Force at the State SCID Panti on the instructions of a Deputy Commissioner of Police over disputes in the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN).
Among other people reported to have been arrested are Sunny Neji, Zakky Azzay, Boniface Itodo, and Raymond Lasisi over allegations of burglary, criminal trespass, and theft involving over $130,000 from PMAN's national secretariat in Lagos.
According to Human Rights activist Harrison Gwamnishu in the post shared on his Instagram account, Ruggedman, and others were being maltreated by the police despite a lack of investigation.
The arrest is said to have been instigated by a petition submitted to the Inspector-General of Police and Lagos State Commissioner of Police by legal counsel representing Pretty Okafor, the embattled National President of PMAN.
This is the latest in the crisis that has continued to rock PMAN, whose role of representing the interests of Nigerian musicians has suffered due to prolonged disputes over its preidency.
In 2024, PMAN’s National Working Committee (NWC) suspended its President, Pretty Okafor, over alleged violations of the organisation’s constitution, financial misappropriation, and other offences.
Sunny Neji was then sworn in as his replacement in acting capacity.
This was quickly followed by a contradictory move by the PMAN National Executive Council (NEC), which announced the suspension of some of its key members on the premise of misconduct and intentional efforts to destabilize the association.
Among those suspended were Sunny Neji, Ruggedman, Zazzy Azzay, and JFO Baba Ojonorgua.