Abuja, Nigeria – May 6, 2025
Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has revealed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has not received any formal petition against controversial social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), raising concerns about the legality of his ongoing detention.
Adeyanju, who is serving as Otse’s legal counsel, made this known after visiting the activist at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Monday. He expressed concern over what he described as an unjustifiable arrest lacking in legal foundation.
“Got into the country this evening and went straight to VDM at EFCC. Just left him,” Adeyanju said in a statement shared on his social media platforms.
“We still cannot understand why he was arrested. EFCC said there’s no petition against him after our repeated demand.”
Otse was reportedly apprehended by EFCC operatives at a Guarantee Trust Bank branch in Abuja, though the agency has yet to issue an official statement detailing the reason for his detention.
Adeyanju criticized the anti-graft agency for engaging in what he called “arbitrary detention,” and demanded Otse’s immediate release.
The arrest has sparked widespread criticism from civil society organizations and rights groups. The Public Interest Lawyers League (PILL) also condemned the development, describing Otse’s arrest and continued detention as unlawful and unconstitutional.
In a statement issued by its President, Abdul Mahmud, PILL accused the EFCC of flouting constitutional procedures by allegedly detaining Otse without a warrant and holding him beyond the constitutionally permitted time without charges.
“The arrest of Otse, reportedly without a warrant and in a manner that lacks transparency, represents yet another instance of the growing disregard for constitutional safeguards that protect Nigerian citizens from arbitrary state action,” the statement read.
PILL cited Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, which prohibits unlawful detention and mandates that arrested individuals must be charged within 24 to 48 hours, depending on the proximity to a court.
“It is unacceptable for any agency of state to act outside the law in its pursuit of alleged wrongdoers,” the group added.
PILL further warned that the EFCC’s actions risk turning the agency into “an instrument of repression against dissenting voices,” rather than a body committed to justice and due process.
As pressure mounts, the hashtag #FreeVDM continues to trend on social media, with Nigerians demanding transparency and accountability from the EFCC.
