Nigerian rapper Ruggedman (Michael Ugochukwu Stephens) and veteran musicians Sunny Neji, Zakky Azzay, Boniface Itodo, and Raymond Lasisi have been arrested over a high-profile burglary and theft case involving the national secretariat of the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) in Lekki, Lagos.
The artists, described by PMAN as suspended or expelled members, allegedly stormed the secretariat in August 2024 while PMAN President Pretty Okafor was out of the country on official assignment.
A petition by Okafor’s legal team accuses the group of carting away $130,000 in cash and two MacBook Pros during the unauthorized entry.
Tensions escalated when the group reportedly defied a reinstatement order by PMAN’s National Executive Council and staged a second break-in on May 8, 2025—reclaiming the premises in defiance of police orders to maintain the status quo. Their refusal to stand down prompted a swift re-arrest.
“This isn’t about union rivalry—it’s a criminal matter,” PMAN stated firmly, revealing that investigations are concluded and legal proceedings have begun. The association cited security footage and official documents from the Registrar of Trade Unions as evidence confirming Okafor’s legitimate leadership.
Human rights activist Harrison Gwamnishu also confirmed the arrests, attributing Ruggedman’s role to a prolonged leadership feud within the music union.
As of press time, none of the accused musicians have commented publicly on the incident.
