Former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Atiku Abubakar has called for the immediate release of social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), describing his arrest as “disgraceful” and an abuse of power.
Otse was reportedly detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on May 2 following petitions filed against him. His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, confirmed the arrest, stating that VDM and his associate, C Park, were taken into custody at a Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) branch.
In a strongly worded statement on social media, Atiku condemned the arrest as part of a “growing authoritarianism” under the current administration.
“The arrest and continued detention of VeryDarkMan, an outspoken critic, by the EFCC is another blatant abuse of power by the Tinubu administration, which has made political repression a hallmark of its rule,” Atiku stated.
He further criticized the government for holding Otse without formal charges, calling it a “flagrant violation of his constitutional rights.”
Pattern of Repression, Says Atiku
Atiku accused the government of selectively targeting opposition voices while ignoring corruption allegations against political allies.
“While security agencies are quick to target dissenters and critics, often in complete disregard of due process, political loyalists with credible allegations of corruption walk free, trading sycophancy for immunity,” he said.
The PDP leader described the government’s actions as “disgraceful” and an affront to democracy, urging Nigerians to resist what he termed “state-sponsored repression.”
Youths Protest in Abuja
Meanwhile, scores of young Nigerians took to the streets of Abuja on Monday, demanding VDM’s immediate release. The protesters marched from the EFCC headquarters to the bank where he was arrested, carrying placards with messages such as “Release VeryDarkMan” and “Seyi Tinubu, Are You Involved?”
The demonstrators vowed to escalate their grievance to the National Human Rights Commission, insisting that Otse’s detention was unlawful and politically motivated.
As of press time, the EFCC has yet to issue an official statement on the matter.
