Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the arrest and continued detention of social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan. He described the move as “another blatant abuse of power by the Tinubu administration.” The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) confirmed the arrest through its spokesman, Dele Oyewale. According to him, the activist was picked up over several petitions accusing him of cyberstalking.
No formal charges, but growing crackdown
Atiku, in a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), said, “The arrest and continued detention of social media influencer and outspoken critic, Mr. Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is yet another blatant abuse of power by the Tinubu administration.” He added that the absence of any formal charges is “a flagrant violation of his constitutional rights and a chilling reminder of the growing authoritarianism under this government.”
Double standards in fight against corruption
The former presidential candidate accused the Tinubu-led administration of “a relentless assault on the fundamental freedoms of Nigerians.” He said the arrest of critics and opposition voices has become common. “While security agencies are quick to target dissenters and critics, often in complete disregard of due process, political loyalists with credible allegations of corruption walk free, trading sycophancy for immunity,” he stated. Atiku warned against allowing what he called “state-sponsored repression” to become normal in Nigeria. “The Tinubu administration’s systematic crackdown on opposition voices is nothing short of disgraceful. It is an affront to democratic norms and must be fiercely condemned and resisted,” he concluded.
