The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed the arrest of social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), following numerous petitions.
The EFCC, through its spokesperson Dele Oyewale, informed BBC News Pidgin on Monday that the activist was arrested due to complaints lodged by multiple petitioners.
“We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations raised against him by some petitioners,” Oyewale said.
READ MORE: “Voice Of The Voiceless Is Missing” — Cubana Chief Priest Decries VeryDarkMan’s Arrest
When questioned about a possible connection to Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Oyewale clarified that the petitions came from various individuals, and the agency was responsible for protecting their interests.
Oyewale also stated that the commission was preparing to arraign the social media activist.
He stated, “We will release him when he meets the bail conditions and we will take the case to court as soon as possible; we are law-abiding.”
The Take It Back Movement has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of the activist.
The group highlighted that Otse was arrested on Thursday, May 2, 2025, right after visiting the GTBank branch in Area 3, Garki, Abuja.
He was reportedly at the bank with his mother and an associate to resolve unauthorized deductions from his mother’s account when he was apprehended.
CCTV footage of the arrest, now widely shared online, has stirred anger and concern, with many accusing it of being a targeted effort to silence a vocal opponent of government and institutional corruption.
In a statement released on Sunday and signed by Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek (Scotty Aluta), the Lagos State Coordinator of the Take It Back Movement, the arrest was called “unlawful” and “premeditated.” The release further accused the EFCC and GTBank of playing a role in what they described as an abuse of authority.
The Take It Back Movement pointed out that Otse’s mother, who was with him at the time of the arrest, has since disappeared, and her whereabouts remain unknown.
The group clarified that this was not the first instance of Mr. Otse being targeted due to his outspoken stance against injustice, corruption, and societal issues.
The statement read in part: “The Take It Back Movement condemns in strong terms the unlawful arrest and continued detention of popular activist and social media commentator, Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“Mr. Otse was arrested on Thursday, May 2, 2025, shortly after exiting the GTBank branch in Area 3, Garki, Abuja, where he had gone alongside his mother and an associate to inquire about unauthorized deductions from his mother’s bank account. His arrest, captured on CCTV and now publicly circulating, appears premeditated and raises serious questions about abuse of power and the increasing use of state security agencies to silence critical voices.
“Worse still, his mother, who was with him at the time, remains missing, and her whereabouts are unknown — a deeply troubling development that only further underscores the lawless conduct of the agencies involved.”
via: Information Nigeria
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