The marital crisis between Nollywood actress Regina Daniels and her estranged husband, Senator Ned Nwoko, has reached a distressing new height as the actress broke down in tears over the alleged harassment of her family and the controversial arrest of her brother, Samuel Daniels, popularly known as Sammy West.
The separation, which had earlier led Regina to consider filing for divorce, has now spiralled into a full-blown public storm. In a series of emotional videos shared online, the actress confessed to feeling overwhelmed by fear, pressure, and uncertainty surrounding her brother’s safety.
Her outpouring of emotion has sparked widespread concern across social media, with fans, family members, and fellow entertainers calling for Sammy’s release and urging both parties to de-escalate the growing tension.
In one of the videos posted around 3 a.m. on Friday, Regina tearfully confessed that the situation had taken a severe toll on her mental and emotional health.
“Guys, I tried. I feel like I am going crazy and losing my mind. It’s not making any sense. I’m finally crying in front of everyone. Every day, I wake up to different things about my brother online. Today, I hear good news; tomorrow, I hear something else. I have tried, and I will go back,” she said.
She followed it with another post, claiming that her mother, Rita Daniels, had informed her that the police would pick her up on Monday following an arrest warrant allegedly issued by Ned Nwoko.
Regina later hinted that she might return to her estranged husband to end the turmoil.
“I give up! What was my brother’s offence? Fighting for his baby sister because her in-laws would always beat her up? I will return if that’s the only way, do whatever he says, get injected to be like a zombie, get locked up and raped in the house. Only then will my brother return,” she wrote.
This came after she had already shown disinterest in reconciling with Nwoko in a previous post, where she stated, “Leave my family alone, Ned! And leave me alone, too! Must things go completely south if partners are no longer interested?”
Meanwhile, in a video shared earlier in the week, Regina alleged that Sammy was arrested and taken to an undisclosed location, adding that she had been losing sleep and weight over the matter.
“My family is actually in turmoil, but we will definitely come out of it. I will fight for my children, Ned. I will take them and raise them with or without you, my love, my ex-husband.”
She added passionately, “My entire focus right now is to know the whereabouts of my brother. Where is Sammy, Ned?! Now, this fight is going to be power for power, or rather, aura for aura!”
In an open letter posted on Instagram, a woman identified as Favour Awele Obi, who claimed to speak on behalf of the Ogwashi-Uku community in Delta State, stated that the issue should be resolved in line with cultural traditions.
She alleged that Regina’s family had attempted to return her bride price to Nwoko, but he refused to accept it, adding that marriage, according to custom, is not by force.
Part of the letter, titled “Call for Respect of Ogwashi-Uku Traditions and Immediate Peaceful Resolution,” read:
“Traditionally, when a man declines to collect the bride price, it is within the community’s right to deposit it at a recognised location, in this instance, Ikeleke Quarter in Ogwashi-Uku. This act formally concludes the marital obligations.
However, the reported arrest and intimidation of the woman’s family is unacceptable, oppressive, and an affront to both our people and our long-standing traditions. The Ogwashi-Uku community is known for peace, not fear, and we cannot stand by while our customs and dignity are trampled upon. Therefore, we respectfully but firmly demand that you take corrective action within 48 hours.”
However, when Saturday Beats contacted one of the phone numbers attached to the statement, the man who answered identified himself as the father of Rita Daniels, Regina’s mother, and dismissed the letter, insisting that the community was not involved.
He said, “How did you get my number? I am the father of Rita Daniels, the mother of Regina Daniels. What has the Ogwashi-Uku community got to do with this? This is a family matter. My number is not online.”
A second contact, who identified himself as a community leader, also denied knowledge of the letter, stating, “This is a personal issue. The community cannot get involved unless the family invites them. I am not aware of any such letter, and I cannot comment.” In a surprising twist, Regina announced that her mother, Rita Daniels, had reunited with her estranged husband, Jude Ojeogwu, to support their children.
She wrote, “Two concluded sworn enemies reuniting for their daughter’s happiness. They are currently in Abuja. Bro Sammy’s detainment is taking too long. We will get him out, or I will march there myself and create a storm.”
Before this, Rita had openly criticised Nwoko in a viral video, claiming that Regina financially supported his political campaign. In the video, where she was seen on a call, she said:
“You wanted somebody with a high star so they could boost your fallen star. I swallowed it and kept quiet. Now the same way you went up, you will come down. If you think you can bite the finger that fed you, then you will go down. People are saying the money, which money? When you were going for the election, how much did Gina give you? That small girl gave you $50,000. All my resources went into your election; you are mad.”
However, some fans later dug up an old post where Regina flaunted gifts and a $100,000 cash credit she claimed were from Ned, prompting mixed reactions online.
Sammy remains in custody
Meanwhile, another of Regina’s siblings, Sweezzy, who lives abroad, raised the alarm over alleged attempts to transfer Sammy to Keffi Prison.
He wrote, “They’re trying to manipulate us! Sammy has not been granted bail! They are planning to move him to Keffi Prison. What sort of injustice is this? Ned is trying to remand my brother in Keffi Prison for speaking and fighting against domestic violence towards our blood sister, Regina Daniels. Are Nigerian police still the voices of the masses, or are they no longer important? He should be given a free and fair hearing. Somebody help o! Ned wants to kill my brother! #FreeSammyWest. He’s got a child and a family that depends on him, free my boy, free my brother.”
He also commented on one of Regina’s posts, revealing the state of Sammy’s condition:
“It’s time to create that storm, G! Watching Sammy cry broke me and still breaks me. Jaeda screaming, ‘My daddy is bleeding!’ shattered me. But no yawa! It’s forever family over any freaking body!”
Earlier, he had accused Nwoko of hypocrisy, alleging that his son reportedly died of substance abuse, while dismissing claims that Regina was a drug addict.
“Accusing my siblings of drugs? What killed your son in the UK? Heart failure and seizure due to excessive intake of drugs! Yet nobody heard anything. You’ve lost all respect at this point. If you ask him, he’ll say she came for my money. You came for her fame! Transaction successful, case closed! She made you a senator, you used her for door-to-door campaigns.”
Sweezzy also launched a petition demanding that Nwoko be held accountable for alleged abuse of power, which had gathered over 30,000 signatures as of the time of filing this report.
Police keep mum, say matter in court
According to a report by Vanguard, the Lagos Police spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, denied that officers from Lagos carried out Sammy’s arrest, stating that the operatives were from Abuja and acted with a signed warrant.
When contacted, the FCT Police PRO, Josephine Adeh, declined to comment, saying, “The matter was charged to court. I have nothing to say on a matter that is already before the court.”
Meanwhile, actress Mercy Johnson has remained steadfast in her support for her goddaughter, Regina Daniels. In viral videos, Johnson was seen moving from place to place with a team of military men alongside Regina’s mother, Rita Daniels, in search of Sammy.
Actress Mercy Aigbe also sent a message of solidarity, offering love, strength, and prayers to Regina, while YouTube star Ruth Kadiri publicly voiced her support amid the ongoing family and marital crisis.
However, amid the outpouring of sympathy, some netizens have criticised the drama.
Reacting to the situation, veteran entertainer Charly Boy, also known as Area Fada, posted a video on Instagram addressing the couple. He said, “I remember when Ned Nwoko and the young sweet sixteen, Regina Daniels, were in the news, trouble was everywhere. Ned, as an ancestor who married his great-grandchild, should know that Nigerians don’t really care; they’re just catching cruise and being entertained by your shenanigans. Who really cares what’s happening in your house? The internet has become a place where people gather to talk rubbish. You both should keep your underwear and smelly boxers inside your house, wash them there, and stop posting everything that happens in the bedroom as news.”
Comedian Dee One also weighed in on the controversy, siding with Nwoko and criticising Regina and her mother. He accused Regina of making unsubstantiated allegations capable of damaging her estranged husband’s reputation. “Ned is a respectable man,” he said. “Unlike Regina, who obviously doesn’t understand loyalty or the value of a good name. I’m sure Ned is unhappy because a good name is better than riches.”
Online activist Vincent Otse, popularly known as VDM, also backed Nwoko’s claims that Regina was allegedly involved in drug use.
In a video posted on his Instagram page, VDM said, “After watching the video Regina Daniels made this morning, I now believe Ned Nwoko that she’s into drugs. She was disorganised, saying a lot without saying anything. That’s typical of a drug addict. People close to her should advise her to go to rehab. Even her mother admitted it in her own video when she said, ‘Ned, tell the world what you did to that girl. Who lured her into it all because of fantasy?”
He went on to describe Regina as unstable, adding that she “shot herself in the leg” with the video, as her speech lacked coherence. He urged her to take Nwoko’s advice and seek rehabilitation. VDM further called Regina’s mother a “bad mother” for allowing her 18-year-old daughter to marry an older man with multiple wives.
Singer Seun Kuti, however, took a different stance. He argued that Regina’s marriage to Nwoko reflected the country’s failed social conditions, stressing that economic hardship has forced many young women into marriages driven by survival rather than genuine affection.
