Portable’s case adjourned to March 26 for charges to be merged and substituted

 

Recall, Portable and his workers were arraigned on a five-count charge of conspiracy, assault, unlawful obstruction while armed with cutlasses and gun.

An Abeokuta Magistrate’s Court has adjourned the case against popular Musician Habeeb Okikiola, a.k.a. Portable, to March 26 so that the prosecution can merge his charges with those of his workers.

When the case against the artist resumed on Wednesday after his earlier arraignment on February 20, the prosecution told the court that it would be a waste of time for the court to hear the case of Portable and that of his workers separately.

Mr Timileyin Oredein, Senior State Counsel, told the court that Portable’s case had a sister case, which needed to be merged before the trial began.

Oredein reminded the court that the musician and nine of his workers were earlier arraigned on February 6 on similar charges.

He said that it would be time-wasting if the defendants were tried separately.

Oredein prayed the court to give a short date for the charge to be merged and substituted.

Portable and his workers were arraigned on a five-count charge of conspiracy, assault, unlawful obstruction while armed with cutlasses and gun and conduct likely to cause the breach of the peace.

They were also arraigned for allegedly assaulting three officials of the Ogun State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

Recall, a day after turning himself in to the police, Nigerian singer Portable has been arraigned at the Isabo magistrate court in Abeokuta, Ogun for his part in assaulting officers of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

The highly controversial singer was declared wanted by the Ogun State police on February 18, 2025, after he and nine of his associates allegedly obstructed the officials. Before that, Portable had been hiding for a week while his associates were arraigned at given a ₦5million each.

However, after he was declared wanted, his fans began to urge him to surrender to the police before matters escalated further, but he pleaded with the government and declared himself insane.

I fear government. I am a federal government liability. Then I’m a madman; I have medications that I usually take. You can confirm from Aro Hospital. I have a card that certifies me as one of their patients. I am from Abeokuta and they are taking care of me there. I am not a thief, I help people around me without even looking at their background."

His insanity plea was quickly turned down by law enforcement and he was urged to leave his hiding place.

After he surrendered, the news was confirmed by the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, “Portable just turned himself in at the SCID Yaba. We have contacted the Ogun State Police Command to come pick him up,” he stated. He was then transferred to Ogun State.