Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), who was arrested last Friday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), will be released today, according to sources close to the matter.
He is expected to appear in court on Thursday to face charges related to cyberstalking and other offences.
On Monday, young Nigerians stormed the streets of Abuja to protest his arrest and ongoing detention.
The demonstrations followed public outcry from political figures, celebrities, and activists, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, Richard Akinnola, Davido, and Cubana Chief Priest, who all expressed displeasure over how the case has been handled.
The EFCC confirmed that although VDM remains in custody, he has not yet been officially charged in court.
They are preparing multiple charges based on several petitions they have received.
Protesters, who gathered around Wuse and the Berger bridge in Abuja, described the arrest as unlawful and announced plans to escalate their complaint to the Nigerian Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Maitama.
The PDP criticized the federal government for remaining silent after the arrest, saying this lack of information fueled the protests.
According to PDP’s deputy national youth leader, many protesters only became aware of the details just before the demonstrations began. He suggested that better communication from the EFCC and police within the first 48 hours could have helped calm the situation.
Atiku Abubakar weighed in by condemning the arrest as an abuse of power. He warned that holding VDM without formal charges violates constitutional rights and pointed to what he sees as an ongoing erosion of freedoms under the current administration.
Atiku also drew attention to what he described as unequal treatment of political figures, saying that while critics and dissenters face swift action, allies with corruption accusations often go untouched.
Leave a Reply