Nigerian rapper Michael Ugochukwu Stephens, popularly known as Ruggedman, alongside veterans Sunny Neji, Zakky Azzay, Boniface Itodo, and Raymond Lasisi, have been arrested over an alleged $130,000 theft following a reported break-in at the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) national secretariat in Lekki, Lagos.
Human rights activist Harrison Gwamnishu confirmed the arrest of the artiste via Instagram on Thursday, revealing that Ruggedman is currently in custody over an alleged clash with PMAN.
“@ruggedybaba is currently detained at State SCID Panti on the instructions of a deputy commissioner of police over PMAN issues,” Gwamnishu wrote on Instagram. “No proper investigation has been concluded; he and others are being maltreated.”
According to reports, the arrest followed a May 12 petition sent to the IGP and Lagos CP by lawyers for PMAN president Pretty Okafor. Signed by Henrie Eduozor, the petition accused Ruggedman, Sunny Neji, Zakky Azzay, Boniface Itodo, and Raymond Lasisi of breaking into PMAN’s Lekki secretariat in August 2024 while Okafor was away on an official trip in Spain, allegedly stealing $130,000 in cash and two MacBook Pros.
The petition said the accused had attempted to suspend Okafor while he was out of the country, holding what’s now described as an “illegitimate” National Delegates Conference and installing a parallel leadership.
However, PMAN’s National Executive Council later nullified their actions, reinstated Okafor, and ordered a return to the original leadership structure.
Despite that, the group allegedly staged another invasion on May 8, seizing control of the secretariat in defiance of warnings from Force Headquarters in Abuja.
DCP Akin Fakorede had reportedly directed all parties to maintain the status quo while investigations continued.
The petition was supported with photo and video evidence and documents from the registrar of Trade Unions affirming Okafor as PMAN’s recognised president.
PMAN insisted in a statement that the suspects were not caught up in a union power struggle but were defendants in a serious criminal case.
“This is not about leadership rivalry,” the statement read. “These are repeat offences. The suspects had previously broken into the secretariat in March 2025, were cautioned, and granted bail, but failed to report back for investigation. Then they struck again.”
PMAN added that police investigations have now been concluded, and the case is being prepared for prosecution.
The state police spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, did not respond to Peoples Gazette’s request for comments on the alleged arrest.
