The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested popular social media influencer Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, over multiple allegations of cyberstalking.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed the arrest on Monday, stating, “We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations raised against him by some petitioners. We will release him when he meets the bail conditions and we will take the case to court as soon as possible.”
The agency clarified that the petitions were filed by several individuals and were not linked to Guaranty Trust Bank, as speculated online.
The arrest sparked protests in Abuja, with supporters storming the GTBank headquarters demanding Otse’s release. They carried placards with messages such as “VDM is the masses’ liberator” and “Activism is not a sin.”
Otse’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, had earlier alleged that EFCC operatives ambushed his client inside the bank. However, GTBank released CCTV footage showing the influencer leaving its banking hall before the arrest. The actual moment of arrest was not captured, as the area was outside the camera’s coverage.
VeryDarkMan is already facing previous charges of cyberstalking and impersonation in separate ongoing court cases, including one involving alleged harassment of Nollywood actresses and the Nigeria Police Force.
