Veteran Nigerian rapper, Ruggedman (Michael Ugochukwu Stephens), has denied widespread reports that he was arrested for financial misconduct alongside fellow musicians Zaki Azzay, Sunny Neji, Boniface Itodo, and Fega Michaels.
In a video shared on his social media, Ruggedman clarified that the news of his arrest is completely false and part of a smear campaign allegedly orchestrated by Pretty Okafor, the suspended former president of the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (P-Man).
“There was a petition written against myself, Sunny Neji, Zaki Azzay, Boniface Itodo, and a couple of others. It’s not about us stealing money. It’s about money allegedly missing in the P-Man office—which has not been proven,” Ruggedman stated.
He explained that the petition came shortly after the National Working Committee (NWC) of P-Man, which includes him and the other named artists, suspended Pretty Okafor for illegal actions against the union.
“So you see how this is going? The same people who suspended him are the same people he wrote a petition against,” he said.
Ruggedman insisted that neither he nor the others named were caught with any money, adding that some of those listed in the reports—like Sunny Neji, Zaki Azzay, and Yinka Davies—weren’t even in Lagos when the court case was first reported.
He also addressed media houses spreading the false news:
“I advise you take down those publications before I say I’m going to sue you for defamation. You’re sharing false information.”
Ruggedman further stated that the newly recognized president of P-Man, Chief Fruitful Mekwunye, who only stepped into office in May 2025, was also wrongly included in the revised petition—despite the incident allegedly happening in March.
“How can someone who wasn’t even there at the time be named in the petition?” he questioned.
He ended the video reaffirming his innocence and commitment to defending Nigerian musicians:
“Do not let one bad man use you as a tool to tarnish the image of innocent people. Ruggedman say so.”
Watch the video below..
