The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed the arrest of popular social media commentator and activist, Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), following multiple petitions filed against him.
Speaking with newsmen on Monday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale disclosed that the arrest was a result of several complaints received by the anti-graft agency.
“We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations raised against him by some petitioners,” Oyewale said.
While responding to questions about whether the case involved Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Oyewale clarified that the petitions were from different individuals, and the commission had a responsibility to act.
“These are independent petitions. We owe the petitioners a duty of investigation and protection,” he stated.
Oyewale further disclosed that Otse would be charged to court soon. “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 added.
Meanwhile, the Take It Back (TIB) Movement has called for Otse’s immediate and unconditional release, describing his arrest as unlawful and targeted.
In a press statement issued on Sunday and signed by Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek (also known as Scotty Aluta), Lagos State Coordinator of the group, TIB accused both the EFCC and GTBank of complicity in what they described as a “premeditated and illegal” arrest.
According to the movement, Otse was picked up on Thursday, May 2, 2025, shortly after leaving the GTBank branch in Area 3, Garki, Abuja.
He had reportedly gone to the bank with his mother and an associate to address unauthorized deductions from his mother’s bank account when he was apprehended.
The statement reads in part:
“Mr. Otse was arrested on Thursday, May 2, 2025, shortly after exiting the GTBank branch in Area 3, Garki, Abuja, where he had gone alongside his mother and an associate to inquire about unauthorized deductions from his mother’s bank account”.
“His arrest, captured on CCTV and now publicly circulating, appears premeditated and raises serious questions about abuse of power and the increasing use of state security agencies to silence critical voices.”
The movement also expressed grave concern over the whereabouts of Otse’s mother, who was with him at the time of the arrest but has since gone missing.
“Worse still, his mother, who was with him at the time, remains missing, and her whereabouts are unknown — a deeply troubling development that only further underscores the lawless conduct of the agencies involved,” the statement added.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism and online outrage, with many Nigerians calling for transparency, justice, and an end to what they perceive as an emerging pattern of suppressing dissent.
