EFCC Grills VeryDarkMan Over Income, Mercy Chinwo Case, Defamation Claims
Popular social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), was interrogated for several hours on Monday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja over allegations surrounding his source of income, controversial online content, and an ongoing defamation suit filed by gospel singer Mercy Chinwo.
Sources confirmed that VDM was questioned at the EFCC headquarters beginning around 2:30 p.m., in the presence of his legal representatives, Deji Adeyanju and Marvin Omorogbe. The anti-graft agency said the interrogation followed numerous petitions filed against the activist by various individuals.
According to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, the activist is facing multiple allegations, and the Commission is committed to thoroughly investigating the complaints. “We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations raised against him by some petitioners,” Oyewale stated, adding that VDM will be released upon meeting bail conditions and subsequently arraigned in court.
One of the major issues reportedly raised during questioning involved VDM’s viral allegations against Mercy Chinwo, in which he accused her of misappropriating $345,000 belonging to her former manager, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu. Chinwo has since filed a lawsuit against VDM for defamation and criminal defamation, demanding N1 billion in general damages, N100 million in aggravated damages, N25 million in legal fees, and a public apology to be published for 14 consecutive days in national dailies.
VDM’s arrest has sparked significant public reaction, particularly after claims by his lawyer that he was entrapped at a GTBank branch in Abuja. Adeyanju alleged that the activist was deliberately locked inside the bank’s exit door for over five minutes to enable EFCC operatives to apprehend him. The legal team plans to take legal action against the bank for what it described as inhumane treatment.
Civil society group, the Take It Back (TIB) Movement, condemned the arrest and demanded VDM’s immediate and unconditional release. The group said the activist was arrested on May 2 shortly after accompanying his mother to the bank to resolve a complaint over unauthorized deductions. The group further raised alarm that his mother had since gone missing, with her whereabouts unknown.
CCTV footage of the arrest has since gone viral, sparking outrage among supporters who claim the move was a targeted attempt to silence one of Nigeria’s most vocal online critics of injustice and corruption.
On Monday, a group of youths staged a protest outside the GTBank branch in Abuja, waving flags and holding placards demanding justice and transparency.
