Ruggedman, 3 others arraigned over $130,000 theft

Ruggedman, 3 others arraigned over $130,000 theft

Nigerian rapper and activist, Michael Ugochukwu Stephens, popularly known as Ruggedman, was on Friday arraigned alongside three others at Yaba Magistrate Court 1 over allegations of burglary and theft.

The charges stem from an alleged break-in at the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) national secretariat in Lekki, during which $130,000 was reportedly stolen.

A source close to the police investigation confirmed the development, indicating that the case is being treated with serious attention due to the scale of the theft an

The source said: “The defendants brought to Yaba Court 1 by the police are Ruggedman, Fruitful Mekwunye, Boniface Itodo, and Faga Bem-Paul for arraignment. Sunny Neji and Zakky Azzay remain at large.

“The charges include conspiracy, breaking and entry, and cybercrimes. However, the charges will be amended on the next adjourned date. Ruggedman is currently in custody.”

Ruggedman and other defendants were arrested following a petition filed on May 12, 2025, by PMAN’s legal representatives on behalf of the union’s embattled National President, Pretty Okafor.

The petition accused them of forcefully breaking into PMAN’s secretariat at 4B Hameed Kasumu Street, Chevy View Estate, Lekki, and stealing $130,000 in cash alongside two Apple MacBook Pro laptops.

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The legal complaint further detailed how the accused allegedly exploited Okafor’s official trip to Spain in August 2024 to unlawfully suspend him without due process.

According to a copy of the petition obtained by SaharaReporters, the accused individuals, described as suspended or dismissed members of the PMAN National Working Committee (NWC), allegedly took advantage of Mr. Okafor’s official trip to Spain in August 2024 to declare him suspended from office without due process.

The petition states that their actions were nullified by the PMAN National Executive Council (NEC), which reinstated Okafor and ordered a return to the status quo ante.

It claimed that despite this directive, Ruggedman (Michael Stephens), Sunny Neji, and others allegedly continued to sow discord within the union.

They reportedly convened an “illegitimate” National Delegates Conference where a parallel leadership structure was fraudulently established, backed by a consent judgment procured under what PMAN lawyers described as “deceitful and clandestine” conditions.

The controversial judgment was allegedly secured at the National Industrial Court in Lagos using an address—Lobby D, National Arts Theatre, Iganmu—not recognised as PMAN’s official headquarters. Okafor and his faction maintain they were never served any court processes related to the suit (NICN/LA/360/2024), rendering the consent judgment null and void in their view. Matters escalated in March 2025 when the accused persons allegedly staged a forced entry into the PMAN secretariat.

They were accused of carting away $130,000 and other valuables. Despite ongoing investigations by the IGP Monitoring Unit in Abuja, they allegedly returned on May 8, 2025, and again took control of the premises.

The petition noted that perhaps most alarming is the suspects’ claim that they acted under the authorisation of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, which the petitioners described as “deeply disturbing.”

A high-level meeting convened by DCP Akin Fakorede at Force Headquarters, Abuja, had reportedly warned the group to cease all actions until legal disputes over PMAN leadership were resolved.

Yet, the accused allegedly defied this directive, leading to their arrest. The petition also includes what is described as video and photographic evidence of the alleged break-ins, along with documentation from the Registrar of Trade Unions confirming Pretty Okafor as the legally recognised president of PMAN.

Ruggedman, 3 others arraigned over $130,000 theft