EFCC confirms VeryDarkMan’s arrest - says court charges imminent

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed the arrest of popular social commentator, Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), citing multiple petitions against him, primarily related to allegations of cyberstalking.

EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale disclosed on Monday that VDM was taken into custody after several individuals submitted petitions accusing him of online harassment.

“We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations raised against him by some petitioners,” Oyewale told BBC News Pidgin.

He further stated that the commission plans to arraign the activist in court soon.

READ ALSO: #FreeVDM: Protest erupts in Abuja over detention of social activist [VIDEO]

“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,” he added.

Although some online speculations linked the arrest to Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), Oyewale clarified that the complaints came from different individuals and were unrelated to the bank.

“The agency owes petitioners a duty of protection,” he said. VDM was reportedly arrested by EFCC officials on Friday.

READ ALSO: Here are 4 times Verydarkman has been arrested

His detention follows a public video he posted announcing his intention to visit a GTBank branch in Abuja to lodge a complaint about alleged unauthorised deductions from his mother’s bank account.

While the EFCC has not disclosed full details of the charges, the case has stirred conversations online, with many of VDM’s followers demanding transparency and fair treatment.

As one of Nigeria’s most outspoken online critics, VDM is known for using his platform to call out perceived social injustices. His legal troubles now raise broader questions about the boundaries of digital activism in the country.