VeryDarkMan to Be Charged to Court Soon — EFCC
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed that social critic Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), is set to be charged in court following his recent arrest. EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale provided insights during an interview with BBC News Pidgin, stating that VDM was detained in response to multiple petitions alleging cyberstalking against him.
Oyewale explained, "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. We are law-abiding." He further clarified that the allegations leading to VDM's arrest were unrelated to Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), emphasizing that the petitions had come from various individuals and that the EFCC has a duty to protect those who file complaints.
VDM's arrest occurred shortly after he announced plans to visit a GTBank branch in Abuja to report an alleged unauthorized deduction from his mother's bank account. Following his detention, there were reports suggesting that he was allegedly mistreated by officials of the EFCC, raising concerns about the treatment of individuals in custody.
As the situation develops, many are closely monitoring the case, particularly given its implications for freedom of expression and the role of social media critics in Nigeria. The upcoming court proceedings will likely shed more light on the nature of the allegations against VDM and the responses from both him and the EFCC.