Nigerian singer, BNXN, formerly known as Buju, has apologised after several fans complained that they were denied entry into his BNXN Live in Concert that took place at Landmark Event Centre on December 9, 2025, despite paying thousands of naira for tickets.

After the concert, attendees flooded social media with claims that they were turned back at the venue after being told the hall was full. Some said they had valid tickets but were unable to gain access, while others accused the organisers of overselling and poor crowd management.

Reacting to the backlash on X (formerly known as Twitter), BNXN openly blamed the event organisers, Iconiq Fest, for how the situation was handled. In his post, the singer accused them of putting profit ahead of his fans’ safety.

“The show organizers prioritized profit over the safety of the fans, and it should never have been so,” he wrote.

“I am so sorry to everyone who had a valid entry and still couldn’t make it into the show. I’d never want to put anyone that loves me or my music in that kind of reckless position and I sincerely apologize.”

He added that ticket sales should stop once events sell out, suggesting the incident could have been avoided. “If tickets are sold out, close the purchase link. It could all be so simple.” he said.

As part of efforts to calm tensions, BNXN refunded ₦250,000 to one of the affected fans who complained on X.

Hours after BNXN’s comments, Iconiq Fest released a detailed statement, pushing back against claims of negligence and insisting the event was properly planned and managed.

According to the organisers, the concert was completely sold out and attendees inside the venue enjoyed a smooth and engaging performance. They said ticket availability updates were regularly shared on their official platforms, including announcements when sales hit 80% capacity and when tickets fully sold out.

Iconiq Fest also claimed that many of the denied entry issues were linked to fake tickets and purchases made through unauthorised vendors outside the venue.

The organisers said individuals selling fake tickets were identified and handed over to appropriate security authorities.

They further explained that entry was closed once the venue reached full capacity, citing safety concerns and a glass door incident at one of the entry points.

“Attendees who arrived early and presented valid tickets purchased through official channels were granted entry,” the statement said, adding that safety protocols required access to be restricted once the artist had begun performing.

While expressing sympathy for fans who were unable to gain entry, Iconiq Fest maintained that it could not be held responsible for tickets bought from unofficial sources or transactions outside approved platforms.

That was not the first time of such incident happening this year. Just a week ago, similar safety concerns were raised at Fola’s What a feeling concert, organised by Mainland Blockparty. The event reportedly exceeded venue capacity, leading to unsafe conditions.

In a statement shared by Fola’s label, Dangbana Republik, they acknowledged that the situation should never have happened and confirmed that the performance was stopped once fans’ safety was at risk.

Fola also personally apologised to fans, saying people were hurt and stressing that safety came before the show.

With back-to-back incidents involving sold-out shows, denied entry and safety lapses, fans are calling for stricter regulation, clearer ticketing systems and better coordination between artists and event organisers to prevent a repeat.