Nicki Minaj threatens legal action against Nigerian X user over alleged ‘harassment’

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Popular rapper Nicki Minaj has threatened to take legal action against a Nigerian user on X, identified as Dr Penking, following a comment about her age and career.

The controversy started after Dr Penking shared a post suggesting that the music star should retire. In the post, he wrote, “Nicki Minaj should understand that she has gotten old and retire”.

The remark drew a response from the Trinidadian-American artiste, who described it as harassment. In a post that was later deleted, she questioned the use of an old video attached to the tweet and hinted at legal steps.

“Do you have permission to use this video that I filmed years ago to harass me on this or any other platform? You’ve just been added to the suit. @TonyBuzbee2 check DM,” she wrote.

Despite the threat, Dr Penking defended his position. He insisted that his statement reflected his personal opinion and fell within his right to free speech.

“Tell Nicki Minaj that My self and my team are ready and eagerly anticipating her papers,” he wrote.

“Freedom of speech and expression is supreme in all constitutions in the world and I have the right to express my opinion at all times.

“Is she old? Yes she is 43. There is nothing harassing about this. It is a publicly accessible information on Wikipedia.

“Should she retire? I think she should. That’s my personal opinion and I stand by it. You can agree or disagree.

“I will not be bullied or intimidated by Nicki Minaj or any other “celebrity.”

The exchange has triggered reactions across social media platforms. Many users have debated whether the rapper has a strong legal basis to pursue the matter.

One user argued that the case may not stand, stating, “Nicki Minaj deleted her post about suing him because she can’t win a case based on this post.

“It’s his opinion, he didn’t defame her, he is also not the one who posted the video, he only shared it from the original poster’s page.

“Her lawyer must have made it clear to her.”

Others pointed to possible legal complications, especially across jurisdictions. They noted that while Minaj is based in the United States, any legal action against a Nigerian citizen may require filing a case in Nigeria under laws relating to cyberbullying or defamation.

The situation continues to generate discussion about free speech and online conduct, as well as the limits of criticism directed at public figures.