Nigerian artiste Peruzzi has released an official statement apologising for old tweets where he called himself a rapist and urged others to follow his footsteps.

According to the singer, he was young and did not know what he was saying neither did he understand the implications of the post or their effects on women and the rape culture.

“I am ashamed and deeply apologetic for a series of tweets posted on social media eight years ago. Those tweets were irresponsible and ill-informed,” he added.

Peruzzi's apology comes after some social media users condemned the old tweets.

In tweets shared between 2010 to 2013, the singer spoke casually about raping women, threatened to rape women and admitted to rape.

In one tweet, he joked about the cost of a rape fine. 

Peruzzi in the statement wrote that the old tweets were not a reflection of him as a person then, neither are they now.

The singer also denied allegation by a Twitter user that he had raped someone in 2012. Peruzzi stated that he has never nor will he ever rape someone.

“I want to say that I, Tobechukwu Victor Okoh, strongly refute such claim… The claim is false and has also been refuted by a witness who was present at the time of the allegation. Rape is a heinous and cowardly act, which I do not condone.”