Ruger sparks fan reactions with deleted tweet

Barely hours after the release of his collab EP with BNXN, Nigerian singer Ruger is under fire after a since-deleted tweet sparked outrage among fans.

The tweet, which contained sexually suggestive comments, was quickly removed but not before screenshots began circulating online.

The controversy reignited when Ruger tweeted, "I didn't delete anything ooo just woke up and found out someone on my team deleted my tweet. They are paranoid haha. I go retweet am 'any girl wey I carry go ilashe go shift bikini. No be only content you come shoot for here baby'."

Fans were quick to react, with some referencing Ruger's previous song Bounce which contains lyrics some consider suggestive of violence against women. One user commented, "Ruger once sang - 'bounce your body or we bounce you out. Omo no scream no too shout.' I liked the song and I rationalized the lines. Line 1 - could just be 'normal' Naija party talk. Line 2 - could just be sex. Then he tweeted and deleted this. Rape culture is insidious."

Ruger has since attempted to downplay the situation, claiming his team deleted the tweet without his knowledge and attributing it to "paranoia." He has yet to retweet the original message. The incident highlights the ongoing debate about consent and sexualization in Nigerian music. While some argue such lyrics are a harmless part of the culture, others fear they contribute to a culture of disrespect towards women and normalize violence.

Regardless, Ruger's explanation did little to appease some fans, who flooded his social media with criticism. Comments included: "Tomorrow you'll wonder why you're still an upcoming artist. Big clown.", "Stup!d f00l, your team dey protect you you dey move like imbec!le. Olojukan atabo.". Others were advising him saying "You are a brand now & your team doesn't want negatives, reason you pay them. They are just protecting you."