The Lagos State Police Command has released the well-known street singer Habeeb Okikiola, famously known as Portable, after he spent a night in police custody.
Portable was apprehended on Tuesday in the Abule Egba area of Lagos for purportedly failing to settle the remaining amount for a G-Wagon vehicle he had purchased from a car dealer.
The singer, known for his hit ‘Zazoo Zeh’, reportedly bought the vehicle valued at ₦27 million but only paid ₦13 million, leaving a balance of ₦14 million.
In a widely circulated video, Portable was seen climbing over a gate when police officers presented him with an arrest warrant. Another video showed him being handcuffed and escorted by about four policemen into a waiting vehicle.
Amidst the chaos, the voice of a woman, claiming to be the car dealer, could be heard in the background, expressing frustration and recounting how Portable allegedly threatened her when she demanded payment.
Benjamin Hundeyin, the police spokesperson in the state, informed Channels Television that the singer was granted bail on Wednesday after spending the previous night in custody.
“He (Portable) has been released; he was granted bail on Wednesday to come back with the complainant later,” Hundeyin stated, indicating that the outcome of their meeting will influence the police’s next steps.
This isn’t the first time the singer has had a run-in with the law. In April 2023, Portable was arrested by the police in Ogun State and faced charges of assault and theft at the Ifo Magistrate Court in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State. He was later released on bail after meeting the conditions set by the court.
