Habeeb Okikiola Badmus, better known as Portable, has been granted bail in the sum of ₦1 million after being arrested on Sunday, April 13, in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
This arrest followed a petition filed by the renowned Fuji artist Saheed Okunola, popularly known as Saheed Osupa.
The petition accused Portable of several serious offenses, including criminal defamation, threats to life, incitement, character assassination, and conduct likely to disturb public peace.
Portable, who has often courted controversy, was charged with multiple counts related to these allegations, including cyberstalking and intimidation.
In granting Portable bail, the court imposed several conditions, including the provision of two sureties, each of which must provide a sum equal to the bail amount.
One of the sureties must be either the Chairman or the Secretary of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria, while the other must own a piece of land within a Government Reserved Area and possess a valid Certificate of Occupancy.
These conditions, while ensuring a level of financial accountability, also highlight the importance of community and institutional support in the legal process.
The legal issues surrounding Portable stemmed from an earlier incident in which he publicly attacked Osupa on social media. In March, the singer posted a video on Instagram in which he disparaged Osupa, calling him “Big for nothing.”
This outburst followed Osupa’s decision to remove Portable’s song, Fuji Shakushaku, from Apple Music due to allegations of copyright infringement. The song, which bore similarities in both its melody and style to the iconic Fuji artist’s work, sparked a dispute that quickly escalated on social media, leading to a series of public insults between the two musicians.
However, Portable later recognized his mistake and attempted to make amends. On March 20, he posted an apology on Instagram, where he expressed regret for his earlier actions.
Speaking in Yoruba, he admitted that the pain of having his song removed from streaming platforms had driven him to lash out at Osupa.
In his heartfelt apology, he asked for forgiveness and acknowledged Osupa’s significant influence on the Fuji genre, calling the veteran artist an inspiration to him.
Despite the apology, the conflict between Portable and Osupa continued to stir public interest, culminating in the legal actions that followed.
This case has placed the controversial artist at the center of yet another public dispute, adding to the list of legal challenges that have come to define his career.
Portable’s bail, however, offers a temporary respite from his current troubles, though the underlying tensions within Nigeria’s music industry, particularly around issues of copyright and respect between artists, remain unresolved.
