Protests Erupt in Abuja Over EFCC’s Arrest of Activist VeryDarkMan
Dozens of youths took to the streets of Abuja on Monday to protest the arrest and detention of popular social media activist, Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The protesters, who were spotted at the Wuse area just after the Berger Bridge, condemned the arrest as illegal and demanded his immediate release. They marched from the EFCC headquarters to a commercial bank branch where VDM was reportedly arrested, carrying placards with messages such as “Release Very Dark Man” and “Seyi Tinubu, Are You Involved?”
VDM was arrested on May 2 following petitions reportedly filed against him. As of press time, he remains in EFCC custody.
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His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, confirmed the arrest via a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that VDM was picked up at a GTBank branch alongside a friend, identified only as C Park, while his mother was left behind.
“This is absolutely unacceptable. Demanding accountability is not a crime,” Adeyanju said.
Protesters vowed to escalate their concerns to the National Human Rights Commission in Maitama, Abuja, calling for transparency and respect for civil liberties.
The arrest has sparked backlash from prominent Nigerians, including Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who condemned the arrest and likened its execution to an abduction.
“When citizens begin to struggle to distinguish between legal arrests and unlawful abductions, we lose a vital layer of national security and accountability,” Obi warned.
He further noted that even judges had faced similar treatment in recent years, eroding public confidence in the rule of law.
Nigerian music star Davido also lent his voice to the growing calls for VDM’s release. In a post, he wrote: “FREE MY GUY“. The support I’m seeing for VDM everywhere is encouraging, makes one want to do more for the masses.”
Davido’s post drew widespread support from fans and civil rights advocates, intensifying public pressure on authorities to provide clarity on the arrest and ensure due process is followed.
