US-based music duo Esquare, who attacked controversial singer Portable last week, has given reasons for going after the Zaazu crooner.
On Tuesday, Portable alleged that Esquare assaulted him in his home for refusing to refund N3.5 million they paid him to feature on their song, ‘Burst my brain’ and its accompanying music video.
On his Instagram handle, Portable shared videos depicting the confrontation’s intensified moments and how the Esquare brothers moved from his living room into a bedroom.
Days after, Portable, in need of prayers, reached out from his hospital bed, saying he had been hospitalised following the altercation.
The singer who was assaulted for not delivering a performance he was contracted for uploaded images of himself lying on a hospital bed, visibly in distress.
On Friday, he took to Instagram to share multiple posts, expressing the intense agony he was experiencing. The musician showcased his bloodied ankle, which was tightly bandaged, while his wrist was immobilised with a cast.
Botched music video
However, Esquare, in a statement, stated that they reached an agreement with Portable to collaborate on a song and shoot a music video for a total sum of N2.5 million.
According to them, N1.5 million was paid to Portable’s manager for the music collaboration with an agreement to pay the remaining N1 million for the video shoot.
They said, “We agreed to shoot the video on 23 September 23rd. My brother and I made the necessary arrangements on how to fly down to Nigeria to do the music video, and we saw on his manager’s Instagram handle that he would be on tour during that time’’.
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Esquare added that the payment of N1.5 for the song beat was sent to Portable, and he did his part and returned it.
They said they proposed shooting the video in Houston, Texas, where they are based, but Portable’s manager declined.
They said, “Through a friend, we could reach Portable directly. At first, he denied us and asked for proof, which we sent to him, and he demanded an extra N1 million, claiming that his manager had collected N500,000 from the N1 million they sent him.
The singers stated that it turned problematic after the music collaboration was completed to get Portable for the video shooting.
They accused Portable of stealing their personal belongings, including 30,000 US dollars.
“We gave him the money and even had to drive from Ajah, Lekki, to Ogun State to pick him up. When we got to the location, he started exhibiting erratic behaviour and demanded we make it snappy since he had out her engagements. When we tried talking things with him after the shoot about the extra money we paid him, he flared up and said he was a member of a cult group and would call Area Boys to cancel the event and kill us.
More allegations
One of the Esquare stated that Portable vowed to kill his brother when he objected again to him leaving the shooting scene unless the manager arrived.
He said Portable became aggressive after the shoot and called his manager, who arrived with the police officer. Upon the arrival of Portable’s manager and police, they were locked inside.
“While I was attempting to clarify the situation to the police, one of his associates assaulted me, and they threatened us with broken bottles and attempted to stab us,” he added.
He said they escaped the apartment through the kitchen door when he (Portable) called more of his associates.
According to him, one of their guys left at the apartment was arrested with Portable absconding with belongings amounting to 30,000 dollars.
Reacting to the development and allegations, Portable challenged his fans to fight for victims of injustice while alive, asking rhetorically, “Nah only the dead una dey find justice for?”
He wrote: “Feeling so much pain right now, just your prayer. I don’t want to die young,” he wrote in one of the posts.
“Didn’t get myself right since I was beaten by those guys, from one pain to another, just being strong for myself and my lover. Pray for me and make God heal me totally,” he wrote.
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