Dancehall sensation Skillibeng has alleged that a worker at the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) in Kingston, Jamaica, stole USD $100,000 worth of jewellery from his luggage. On Thursday, June 6, the artist took to social media, appealing to the perpetrator to return the stolen items. In his Instagram post, Skillibeng declared, “The person weh tek out mi 100kusd wut a jewelry a NMIA @nmia_airport before it guh pan d airplane DM me and save yourself … Limited time frame. Everybody on duty knows who was responsible for searching the bags so don’t mek this hard.” He also provided a local contact number for the return of the jewellery.
Responding to the allegations, the airport’s official Instagram account expressed regret for the incident and advised Skillibeng to file a formal report with the police station at the airport or with the airline he travelled with to initiate an investigation. A spokesperson for the airport reiterated the need for a formal complaint, stating,
“There needs to be a report to the police or to the airline he flew with. We cannot do anything without a formal report. When there is a formal report, then all the relevant persons in the airport are made aware and there is an investigation by the police or the airline.”
Skillibeng, whose real name is Emwah Warmington, shot to fame with his 2019 hit single “Brik Pan Brik.” Known for tracks such as “Mr. Universe,” “Crocodile Teeth,“ and “Torpedo,“ the artist has made significant strides in the music industry. His latest feature on South African singer Tyla’s hit single “Jump,“ alongside American rapper Gunna, recently debuted at No.49 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. This achievement marks the first time in 12 years that a Jamaican artist has entered the chart as a credited performer.
As investigations proceed, the dancehall community and fans alike are eager to see a resolution to this distressing episode.