Social media critic Martins Vincent Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on charges of cyberstalking.
The arrest, which was confirmed on Sunday, May 4, 2025, is sequel to multiple complaints that VDM has been utilizing his social media handles to harass, insult, and intimidate individuals.
While many believed that Otse was arrested in the premises of the Guaranty Trust Bank, one of Nigeria’s foremost financial institutions, the bank has since released footage showing VeryDarkMan freely exiting the bank’s premises.
An EFCC source, who spoke with newsmen in confidence, indicated that his actions might have violated the Cybercrimes Act of 2015. But the complainants and further details on the case remain under wraps.
We have arrested him after several complaints that he has been utilizing his social media handles to harass, insult, and intimidate individuals,” the source revealed.
VDM‘s attorney, Deji Adeyanju, verified his arrest and said that his legal team were trying to secure his release.
Even though the EFCC has not yet made any official statement regarding the charges against his client, Adeyanju assured that he would come back to Nigeria to confront the issue.
“I’m currently not in Nigeria, but I’ll be back in Abuja tomorrow which is being today by (Monday) afternoon.
By 4 p.m., we’ll be at the EFCC to secure his bail,” Adeyanju stated.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that the EFCC may formally file charges against VeryDarkMan as early as Monday, raising further discussions on the implications of online conduct and legal accountability.
Some Nigerians have, however, questioned the manner of his arrest and called for respect for human rights, adding that these can have an effect on Nigeria’s economy and business environment.
Mr Peter Obi, a former Governor of Anambra and Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 General Elections said that “at a time when investor confidence is already fragile, we must do all we can to avoid actions that tarnish institutions or undermine the trust of both citizens and the international community “.
Nigerians, especially fans of the dark-complexioned man with signature nose rings and stout features, now await further details of the arrest. Meanwhile, youths have taken to the streets of Abuja, on Monday morning, to protest Otse’s arrest, flooding the entrance to GTB’s Abuja office where he was seen shortly before his arrest.