Veteran Nigerian artist Eedris Abdulkareem has added his voice to growing calls for the release of detained social media activist, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).
During a recent live performance, Abdulkareem paused mid-set to lead the audience in a public chant of “Free VDM,” urging fans to raise their phone lights in a viral show of solidarity.
“We are not asking for too much, just food, electricity, and freedom of speech,” he declared.
The outspoken musician criticised what he described as government priorities gone wrong, citing the sharp increase in the cost of living and essential items such as mobile data and rice.
“Instead of addressing real problems, they’re targeting people for speaking up,” he said.
The incident followed Abdulkareem’s recently banned protest song, a move VDM openly condemned. In response, the influencer promised to back a remix of the track and even appear in its video, blasting what he called misplaced censorship.
The public support has fueled wider debate about civil liberties, with many Nigerians on social media expressing concern about shrinking space for dissent and freedom of expression in the country.
