The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed that controversial critic, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly called VeryDarkMan (VDM), was arrested by its operatives over multiple petitions against him.
The anti-graft agency, through its spokesperson Dele Oyewale, told BBC News on Monday that VeryDarkMan was taken into custody following complaints from several petitioners.
“We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations raised against him by some petitioners,” Oyewale said.
Oyewale noted that the petitions were from different individuals, and the agency owed them a duty of protection, adding that the EFCC was already planning on arraigning the social media activist.
He stated, “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.”
VeryDarkMan was apprehended on May 2, 2025, shortly after visiting the GTBank branch in Area 3, Garki, Abuja.
Chronicle NG reported that his arrest has sparked widespread outrage, with allegations that GTBank collaborated with the EFCC to facilitate the detention of the outspoken critic.
According to VeryDarkMan’s legal representative, activist-lawyer Deji Adeyanju, the critic was trapped inside GTBank’s exit door for over five minutes, allowing EFCC operatives to arrest him.
“VDM was locked inside the GTB exit door for over five minutes to enable EFCC to arrest him and his friend,” Adeyanju stated in a social media post. “We will take legal action against GTB for this treatment.”
