Human rights group Amnesty International has denounced the detention of Martins Otse, a popular social critic commonly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).
Amnesty’s stance, which called on the federal government to end VeryDarkMan’s protracted detention, was disclosed via its social media post on Saturday.
The rights group stated that the circumstances, which led to VDM’s arrest and detention by operatives of the Economic Financial Crime Commission, depict an odd ploy to repress a dissenting voice.
“VeryDarkMan’s legitimate attempt to make corporate and public institutions to be accountable to the people is perfectly within his rights.
“Frequent manipulation of government agencies to silence dissenting voices undermines the rule of law,” the organisation stated.
VeryDarkMan was on Friday taken into custody by the EFCC. The social critic, alongside his friend, Steven Avuara, was reportedly accosted at gunpoint a few metres outside GT bank’s premises, located in Garki, Area 3, Abuja.
His legal counsel, Deji Adeyanju, said in a statement that his client was beaten and blindfolded by some armed men who wore black uniforms.
“Earlier today, May 2, 2025, our attention was drawn to the fact that our clients, Mr Martins Vincent Otse (AKA Very Dark Black Man) and Mr Steven Avuara (AKA C-PACK), were arrested by officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), immediately after they exited Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Ltd’s premises at Garki, Area 3, Abuja,” Mr Adeyanju’s statement partly read.
The spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, confirmed to Peoples Gazette that the social critic was detained following petitions by unidentified persons against him.
“We have some petitions against him that we are working on. He has some issues with us,” said Mr Oyewale.
Netizens, including civil groups and activists, have faulted EFCC’s arrest of the social critic while calling for his immediate release.
Political activist Omoyele Sowore, in a Facebook post on Sunday, hinted that the EFCC was currently making moves to legitimise VDM’s arrest by presenting him in court on Monday.
“It has been established that the EFCC unlawfully arrested and detained Martins Vincent Otse, aka VDM, as a means to silence him for accusing the agency and its leaders of corruption and malfeasance.
“The EFCC is currently exploring legal avenues to charge him to court, possibly tomorrow, in an attempt to legitimise their actions,” Mr Sowore stated.
