- Nigerian singer Skales, in a recent interview, says he once slept in a police cell after offending a billionaire
- He said he was recognised by an inmate and was asked to sing for the cell boss in exchange for a sleeping mat
- The artist revealed that detainees must pay police officers for food or go hungry, with fans reacting to the exposé
Nigerian singer and songwriter, Skales, has recounted a troubling episode from his past involving police detention and an unexpected performance behind bars.
In a recent interview in Zikoko media that’s now making the rounds online, the Shake Body crooner opened up about the time he found himself locked up in a cell after he and his manager allegedly offended a powerful billionaire.
According to the music star, the incident occurred during a business fallout that spiraled into a full-blown police case.
Nigerian singer Skales, in a recent interview, says he once slept in a police cell after offending a billionaire. @skales/Instagram.Source: Instagram
Skales narrated that he was initially told he could go home after his manager was arrested, but he refused to leave him behind.
Skales said,
“They arrested my manager and told me to go home. I said never. So I followed them to the police station. When they got his statement, they told me I had to sleep in the cell,”
The artist revealed that once he was inside the cell, his celebrity status was quickly noticed by one of the inmates, but that didn’t save him from the harsh reality of prison life.
He added,
“When I got there, one guy said, ‘You look like Skales,’ and I said, ‘Yes, it’s me.’ He asked, ‘What happened? Did you kill someone?’ I told him my story. He said I needed to go see the boss of the cell, or the boys would deal with me.”
Skales recalled that the “boss of the cell” demanded that he perform one of his songs before granting him access to a mat to sleep on.
He said,
“I performed shamelessly for survival. After the performance, they gave me a mat.”
The singer didn’t shy away from describing the conditions in the cell, which he said were anything but humane. He revealed that inmates had to send money to the police to be fed—otherwise, they went hungry.
He said,
“What they do in the cell is that you must send money to the police for food, or else you won’t eat.”
The emotional account has sparked conversations on social media, with many fans praising him for his loyalty to his manager and others calling for reform in the Nigerian criminal justice system.
See the video here:
Fans react to Skales’ survival story
Following the viral interview, Nigerians took to social media to applaud Skales’ storytelling skills, loyalty, and use of his talent in the most unusual of places.
@seyitanatigarin wrote:
“He even offered to help him murder the billionaire 😂😂😂😂 that’s the part that killed me 🤣🤣🤣🤣”
@mercy.xoxo said:
“Love the way he told the story and the gestures too.”
@lawalhardcore commented:
“Nah this guy is one hell of a storyteller. 😂👏🏿”
@af_rican_cheryl added:
“The story is sad, sweet and funny at the same time 😂”
@jolloffbookclub joked:
“The inmates had a no-ticket concert that night. They’ll forever remember that day. Some may brag about it to new inmates. 😂😂”
@blossom.dickson chipped in:
“You no go perform keh? If dem tear you one slap, you go faint straight 😂”
@stsoloverses added humorously:
“Skales performs everywhere, including cell @samson_arome 😂”
@tunrayomartinso prayed:
“May my talent always go before me in Jesus name. Amen!”
@akara_cafe admired him:
“He seems so sweet and genuine. Bless him. #thatgreatnigerianspirit”
The singer said he was recognised by an inmate and was asked to sing for the cell boss. @skales/InstagramSource: Instagram
Skales meets Barcelona players in Spain
TheTalk.NG, meanwhile, earlier reported that Skales meet with players of Barcelona after the final of the 2025 Copa Del Rey.
The Nigerian star shared a clip of himself with Yamal and Alejandro Balde before going on to perform the song at Barcelona’s celebration party.
Skales’ whose song Shake Body has been trending after Spanish internationals Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams and Samu Omorodion celebrating their win over the Netherlands with a lively dance to it.
Source: TheTalk.NG
