The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has disclosed the reasons behind the arrest of social media influencer Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.
Many Nigerians had accused Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) of orchestrating VeryDarkMan’s arrest by the EFCC. They also called for the immediate release of the social media influencer.
However, the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Monday, May 5, 2025, said VeryDarkMan was arrested over multiple petitions submitted to the anti-graft agency.
Oyewale disclosed that VeryDarkMan was taken into custody following complaints from several petitioners on the allegation of cyberstalking.
“We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations raised against him by some petitioners.
“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,” the EFCC spokesman told BBC News Pidgin.
When asked if the case was connected to GTBank, Oyewale revealed that the petitions were from different individuals, stressing that the EFCC owed them a duty of protection.
However, Protesters in Abuja have converged on the headquarters of Guaranty Trust Bank to demand the release of social media influencer Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.
The demonstrators, who gathered in large numbers on Monday, chanted “#FreeVDM” while holding placards with inscriptions such as “Activism is not a sin”, “VDM is the masses’ liberator”, and “VDM has committed no offence”.
Recall that VeryDarkMan was recently arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegations of cyberstalking.
The arrest has sparked outrage online and raised questions about the bank’s alleged complicity in what critics describe as a targeted crackdown.
According to his legal representative, activist-lawyer Deji Adeyanju, VeryDarkMan was ambushed by EFCC operatives inside the GTBank premises.
Denying the claim and releasing CCTV footage, the bank stated that the social media influencer was not picked up on its premises, and urged that further investigations be conducted.
In the video, VDM is seen leaving the banking hall and heading towards the car park moments before his arrest.
However, the footage does not capture the actual arrest, most likely because the security cameras did not cover that specific area outside the bank.
Recall that in May 2024, he was arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja on five counts of cyberstalking. The charges stemmed from alleged online harassment of the Nigeria Police Force and Nollywood actresses Iyabo Ojo and Tonto Dikeh.
He pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody until his bail hearing.
Later in November 2024, he faced fresh charges of impersonation before an Abuja Chief Magistrate’s Court. Prosecutors accused him of unlawfully dressing as a police officer and presenting himself as one. He again pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of ₦2 million.
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