On Friday, May 2, 2025, popular social media critic and activist Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM),

On Friday, May 2, 2025, popular social media critic and activist Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), was arrested by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission commission, EFCC  shortly after visiting a Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) branch in Abuja. VDM had gone to the bank to address alleged unauthorized deductions from his mother’s account. According to his lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, VDM was deliberately trapped inside the bank’s exit door for over five minutes to facilitate his arrest by masked EFCC operatives.

The exact charges against VDM remain undisclosed, fueling public speculation and concern over the motives behind his detention. VDM is known for his outspoken critiques on social issues and has previously faced arrests related to his online activism. His recent detention has sparked widespread outrage on social media, with thousands of netizens and celebrities calling for his immediate release.

Among those demanding his freedom is Afrobeats superstar Davido, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to express support for VDM. Davido praised the positive impact VDM has had on people’s lives and described the public support for him as encouraging, tweeting, “FREE MY GUY”.

Legal representatives have located VDM in EFCC custody but report that he refuses to meet anyone. They are actively working to secure his release and have threatened legal action against GTBank over what they describe as inhumane treatment during the arrest.

The incident has drawn criticism of both the EFCC and GTBank, with calls for transparency and accountability from the authorities. The situation remains fluid as supporters await further updates on VDM’s legal status