KEY POSTS

• The EFCC arrested social media activist VeryDarkMan over alleged financial crimes, accusing him of evading multiple invitations, and confirmed he remains detained pending bail conditions.

• Protests erupted in Abuja, with public figures like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Davido condemning the arrest as politically motivated and demanding transparency.

• The case has intensified debates about freedom of expression, government accountability, and the role of social media influencers in challenging institutional power in Nigeria.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has broken its silence on the controversial arrest of social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), stating that his detention was necessitated by “grave allegations of financial malfeasance” and his refusal to honour multiple invitations.

In a statement released on May 6, 2025, the anti-graft agency asserted that VDM had ignored formal requests to appear for questioning, prompting his eventual arrest on May 2.

“The petitions pertain to sundry issues of alleged financial crimes which could not be ignored by the Commission. He refused to show up in spite of several invitations sent through his known addresses and medium of communication,” the EFCC said. The agency dismissed claims of political motivation, insisting that VDM’s “unguarded attacks” against its operations did not influence the arrest.

While confirming he had been granted administrative bail, the EFCC emphasized that his release hinged on fulfilling unspecified conditions.

Public outcry escalates as Atiku, Obi, and Davido demand release

Channelstv reports that the arrest has sparked nationwide condemnation, with protests erupting in Abuja and online campaigns under the hashtag #FreeVDM gaining momentum.

On May 5, scores of youths marched to the EFCC headquarters and a commercial bank linked to the case, brandishing placards reading “Release VeryDarkMan” and “Seyi Tinubu, Are You Involved?” — a reference to President Bola Tinubu’s son.

Political heavyweights have also weighed in. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar condemned the detention as “another blatant abuse of power by the Tinubu administration, which has made political repression a hallmark of its rule.” Similarly, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi criticized the arrest’s execution, likening it to an abduction “that risks being mimicked by criminal elements.”

Nigerian music star Davido joined the fray, urging authorities to “FREE MY GUY” in a social media post. “The support for VDM everywhere is encouraging. It makes one want to do more for the masses,” he wrote, highlighting the activist’s grassroots influence.