EFCC denies involvement in arrest, detention of VeryDarkMan

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied claims that it was responsible for the arrest and detention of social media influencer and activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).

IDOMA VOICE earlier reported that the activist was apprehended on Friday, May 2, 2025, after visiting a Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) branch with his mother to address an alleged unauthorized deduction from her account.

Speculations intensified on Monday when reports surfaced alleging that the EFCC had officially taken over the case. The reports cited a purported interview with EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, who was quoted by BBC News Pidgin as confirming VDM’s arrest based on multiple petitions filed against him.

“We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations raised by some petitioners,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying.

When asked if the arrest was linked to the incident at GTBank, Oyewale allegedly responded that the complaints came from various individuals and were unrelated to the bank visit.

He reportedly added that VDM would be released upon meeting his bail conditions and would subsequently face trial in court.

“We will release him when he meets the bail conditions and take the case to court as soon as possible; we are law-abiding,” he was quoted.

However, the EFCC refuted these reports in a post on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, labeling the circulating statements as false and misleading.

In a related development, several youths staged a protest in Abuja on Monday, demanding the release of VeryDarkMan. The protesters called for respect for his rights, emphasizing his role as a vocal advocate for social justice and accountability in Nigeria.