Since the news of the arrest of singer, Naira Marley by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on suspicion of connection to internet fraud better known as yahoo yahoo, many Nigerian youths have been laying blame on the doorstep of veteran singer, Rugggedman.
Prior to Naira Marley’s arrest, Ruggedman who is a police ambassador had been in an online debate with Naira Marley about the rightness or wrongness of cybercrime. Riuggedman had disagreed with Naira Marley’s view that yahoo yahoo is not a crime and yahoo boys should be glorified and celebrated rather than arrested and prosecuted.
Following Naira Marley’s arrest, Ruggedman has been tagged a snitch and receiving insults online with some going as far as issuing him death threats and laying curses on his generation for his alleged involvement in Naira Marley’s arrest.
Taking to Instagram, Ruggedman has issued an apology for the arrest of Naira Marley although some fellow celebrities took his side and told him he did nothing wrong and has no reason to apologise.
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He wrote,
“Why would I want an artist arrested? What will be my gain?
I have read and heard all sorts of comments pertaining to the @nairamarley case and seen the misinformation making the rounds which are quite unfortunate, to say the least.
I note that saying I was “happy in a way” about his arrest has evidently frayed some nerves and for that, I apologise. It was in hope that it would serve as a deterrent for persons who might consider the said ills or need to make a U-turn. It by no means was intended to wish for his downfall. It perhaps was not a good choice of word in hindsight. I do not look forward to anyone’s downfall but rather hope we all learn from the situation.
I do not know Naira Marley personally, the same way I do not know the over 300 Nigerians I have gotten justice for against police brutality. I do it because it is who I am. All I did was caution a young artist, who has influence, against making utterances about an issue that by the global standard is considered a crime. I believe correcting this was the way to go as an elder, but got insulted for this even by those being misled.