The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) vs social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM) update.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) questioned social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), on Monday, in response to several petitions filed against him.

Sources indicate that the interrogation occurred at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, with his lawyers, Deji Adeyanju and Marvin Omorogbe, present. The questioning reportedly began around 2:30 p.m., and the lawyers and their client remained at the agency at the time of this report.

The EFCC had previously confirmed VeryDarkMan’s arrest, stating that it was prompted by the receipt of these multiple petitions. Dele Oyewale, the EFCC spokesperson, informed BBC News Pidgin on Monday that the activist was detained due to complaints from various petitioners. “We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations raised against him by some petitioners,” Oyewale stated.

When asked about a possible connection to a petition from Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Oyewale clarified that the petitions originated from different individuals, and the agency has a responsibility to protect them. Oyewale further mentioned that the commission intends to arraign the social media activist. He said, “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.”

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In a statement released online on Friday, Adeyanju claimed that VeryDarkMan’s arrest occurred after a visit to a GTBank branch in Abuja. Adeyanju alleged that his client was trapped in the bank’s exit door for over five minutes, which he described as a deliberate act to facilitate his arrest by EFCC officers. “VDM was locked inside the GTB exit door for over 5 mins to enable EFCC arrest him and his friend,” Adeyanju stated. “We will be taking legal actions against GTB for the inhumane treatment meted out to our client. We will issue a public statement soon.”

Meanwhile, the Take It Back Movement has called for VeryDarkMan’s immediate and unconditional release. The group reported that VeryDarkMan was apprehended on Thursday, May 2, 2025, shortly after visiting 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 account when the arrest took place.

CCTV footage of the arrest, which has been widely circulated online, has generated significant outrage and concern. Many allege that it was a targeted operation aimed at silencing the outspoken critic. The TIB Movement also noted that VeryDarkMan’s mother, who was present during the arrest, has since gone missing, and her current whereabouts are unknown. The group stated that this was not the first time VeryDarkMan had been targeted for his vocal stance against injustice, corruption, and societal problems.

On Monday, a group of youths staged a protest at the GTBank branch in Abuja. The protesters waved the Nigerian flag and held placards with various messages.