Social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has been released from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after spending five days in detention.
His release was confirmed on Wednesday by human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, who announced the development via his verified X handle, stating: “Thanks to unrelenting efforts of all, @thatverydarkman has been released from unjust detention at the @officialEFCC. He is with his ebullient lawyer, @adeyanjudeji.”
VDM had been detained since Friday after accompanying his mother to a Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) branch in Abuja to address alleged unauthorized withdrawals from her account. His arrest, however, was later linked to multiple petitions accusing him of financial misconduct, according to an EFCC statement released earlier this week.
His legal counsel, Deji Adeyanju, previously criticized the EFCC’s handling of the bail process, describing it as “social media bail” due to the commission’s delay in providing formal documentation confirming the release. “We have made several repeated demands in this regard since yesterday,” Adeyanju said, referring to the wait for official paperwork.
VDM’s arrest and subsequent detention sparked widespread discussion online, with many Nigerians questioning the transparency and due process of the EFCC’s actions.
Sources: Omoyele Sowore via X (@YeleSowore), EFCC official statement, Deji Adeyanju, human rights lawyer
