The Nigerian Police have rearrested Martins Vincent Otse, a social media influencer and blogger popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).
The information was confirmed by VDM’s law firm, Deji Adeyanju, and Partners Chambers, in a telephone chat with Vanguard on Sunday.
According to the report, the arrest is linked to VDM’s public exposure of an individual accused of defrauding a Nigerian citizen living abroad.
The law firm revealed that the arrest was ordered by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Mr. Benneth Igwe.
The message from Deji Adeyanju and Partners Chambers stated, “Our client, @ThatVeryDarkMan, has just been arrested by the police on the orders of the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Mr. Benneth Igwe, for exposing someone who allegedly duped a Nigerian abroad.”
The law firm criticized the police for arresting VDM instead of the individual accused of fraud. “Instead of the police arresting the person alleged to have committed fraud, they arrested VDM on grounds of defamation,” the statement added.
VDM is a prominent figure on social media, known for his outspoken views and activism against corruption and injustice.
His followers and supporters have expressed outrage over his arrest, calling for his immediate release and urging the authorities to focus on the alleged fraudster instead.
The incident has sparked a debate about freedom of speech and the role of social media influencers in exposing wrongdoing. Many believe that VDM’s arrest is an attempt to silence him and deter others from speaking out against corruption and fraud.
As of now, there has been no official statement from the Federal Capital Territory Police Command regarding the arrest. However, VDM’s supporters and legal team are actively seeking his release and calling for an investigation into the alleged fraud.
