Davido to sue Kenyan media outlet over April Fool’s Day article

A story published on K24 TV’s website as an April Fool’s Day prank said the artist was detained at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi for possession of cocaine in his private jet.

The prank was timed to coincide with Davido’s departure from Kenya after his Timeless concerts in Kampala, Uganda, and at Raha Fest in Nairobi.

Reacting to the story, which went viral as soon as it was posted, Davido wrote on his Instagram: “I find the fabrication of allegations such as international crimes extremely irresponsible regardless of the light of ‘April Fools’. I successfully completed my scheduled shows in Uganda and Kenya and have since returned home to Nigeria. I’d also like to note that I have never been arrested by anyone in any country for any crime in the world. Not my home Nigeria, my home America, or any of the hundreds of countries I’ve made home throughout my career.”

Davido added that his lawyer was seeking legal recourse against “the media parties responsible for generating this information” and thanked his fans for their continued support.

Many Kenyans on social media felt that the prank went too far and questioned the role of the gatekeepers at the media outlet. Following the backlash, K24 TV pulled down the story but screenshots of the original post, which had received thousands of views before it was removed, were already in circulation, prompting Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations to share an image of the story with “Fake News” marked across it.

While in Uganda, Davido inaugurated the Faculty of Music and Arts at the International University of East Africa in the capital Kampala on 28 March, as part of his vision to nurture creative talent while fostering innovation in music, entertainment and new media.