VeryDarkMan vs EFCC: 4 Notable Nigerians and Their Roles in the Saga

• The hashtag #FreeVDM gained momentum after prominent social media personality VeryDarkMan was arrested by the EFCC outside a Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) premises in Abuja earlier in May
• VeryDarkMan's arrest followed his public criticism of the bank for allegedly making unauthorised withdrawals from his mother’s account
• A folk hero to many Nigerian youths, VDM is known for his bold takes and viral controversies

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering metro and governance.

FCT, Abuja - Controversial social media critic, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), was taken into custody by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

On May 7, 2025, VDM was released from the EFCC's custody. His release marked the end of a detention that sparked demonstrations and reignited debates over freedom of speech in Nigeria.

Interventions in VeryDarkMan's case

In this report, Legit.ng looks at VeryDarkMan's detainment and the interventions of five notable Nigerians.

1) Deji Adeyanju

Adeyanju, a prominent human rights activist, is VeryDarkMan's legal representative.

Adeyanju cut short his trip to Banjul in Gambia due to his client’s arrest and detention.

2) Omoyele Sowore

Sowore, an activist and media entrepreneur, claimed that the EFCC arrested VeryDarkMan to silence him.

In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Sowore alleged that VeryDarkMan was detained as a means to suppress his accusations of corruption and wrongdoing against the agency and its leaders.

Sowore, therefore, asked the EFCC to release VeryDarkMan without delay.

Following VDM's release, Sowore was among the individuals Adeyanju paid tribute to.

Adeyanju wrote on Facebook:

"VDM released to us on bail. Special thanks to Deji Adeyanju and Partners especially the head of our firm @Marvin_Omorogbe. Thank you Nigerians for speaking up for him. Thank you Egbon Sowore."

3) Marvin Omorogbe

Barrister Omorogbe, from Adeyanju’s law firm, attended an interrogation by EFCC operatives with VDM.

Omorogbe is a Notary Public of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

A Notary Public in Nigeria is a public official, typically a legal practitioner, authorised by the federal government to perform official acts like authenticating and certifying documents, administering oaths, and witnessing signatures. These acts are crucial for verifying the authenticity of documents and deterring fraud, particularly in international transactions and legal proceedings.

4) Davido

Afrobeat superstar Davido joined other Nigerians to condemn VeryDarkMan's arrest.

Davido via his official X handle, extolled VDM’s positive impact on the lives of common Nigerians and urged relevant authorities to release him.

5) Femi Falana

Renowned Nigerian human rights lawyer and activist Femi Falana contacted the EFCC to demand the release of VeryDarkMan.

The revelation was made by Adeyanju in a post on X.

Falana’s intervention comes despite an ongoing legal dispute between his family and VeryDarkMan.

The Falana family had filed a N1 billion defamation suit against VeryDarkMan following the circulation of a leaked voice recording in which popular crossdresser Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju, known as Bobrisky, was said to have made an allegation against Folarin Falana, Nigerian rapper and actor popularly known as Falz. In the voicenote, Falz reportedly contacted Bobrisky while in jail, offering to help secure a presidential pardon for N10 million through his father, Femi.

Lagos govt hails VeryDarkMan

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Lagos state government praised VeryDarkMan for 'exemplifying' environmental sustainability.

The commendation came after VeryDarkMan caught a man pooing on a road in Ikeja, Lagos.

Source: Legit.ng