Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has strongly condemned the arrest and continued detention of activist and social media commentator, Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), describing it as an assault on civil liberties.
Otse was reportedly apprehended by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on May 2 following multiple petitions. He remains in custody, according to his legal representative, Deji Adeyanju, who confirmed the arrest occurred at a branch of GTBank alongside a friend identified as C Park.
In a statement on social media, Atiku called the arrest “yet another example of the Tinubu administration’s growing intolerance for dissent,” accusing the government of weaponising law enforcement agencies to silence critics.
“Assault on Democratic Freedoms”
“The continued detention of an outspoken critic without formal charges is a blatant violation of his rights,” Atiku said. “It reflects a worrying pattern of political repression and abuse of power that is becoming the hallmark of this administration.”
He further criticized what he called selective enforcement of justice, noting that critics are swiftly targeted while allies of the ruling party with corruption allegations roam free.
“We must not normalise the misuse of state power to stifle free speech,” he added. “Democracy thrives on dissent, not silence.”
Protests Erupt in Abuja
In reaction to the arrest, scores of young Nigerians staged a peaceful protest in Abuja on Monday. The demonstrators marched from the EFCC headquarters to the location where Otse was arrested, chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards that read, “Release Very Dark Man” and “Is This Justice?”
They denounced the arrest as unlawful and urged the authorities to uphold constitutional rights. The protesters vowed to escalate their demands at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Maitama.
