Nigerian rapper Ruggedman, veteran artists Sunny Neji, Zakky Azzay, Boniface Itodo, and Raymond Lasisi have been arrested over allegations of burglary, th£ft, and criminal trespass at the national secretariat of the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) in Lekki, Lagos.
The group is accused of forcibly entering PMAN’s headquarters in August 2024 while President Pretty Okafor was on official duty abroad.
According to a petition filed by Okafor’s legal team, the musicians- described as suspended or expelled members- allegedly stole $130,000 in cash and two MacBook Pros during the break-in.
The controversy deepened when the group, allegedly ignoring a leadership reinstatement by PMAN’S National Executive Council, staged a second break-in on May 8, 2025, reclaiming control of the secretariat despite police warnings to maintain the status quo. This led to their re-arrest.
PMAN, in an official statement, insisted the case goes beyond internal disputes. “This is not a union rivalry,” the statement read. “It’s about criminal actions.
They’ve been cautioned before and refused to comply with police investigations.” The association emphasized that investigations are complete and prosecution is underway. Evidence, including surveillance footage and documents from the Registrar of Trade Unions, affirms Okafor as the legitimate president.