Why EFCC really arrested VeryDarkMan: All you need to know

Guardian Nigeria

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00:00Controversial social media influencer, very dark man, Von Martin Vincent Ose, is arrested

00:07again, this time by the EFCC. The arrest sparks national outrage with big names like Peter

00:15Obi, Omoyele Shoore and Atiku Abubakar, questioning the legality and intent behind the move. Meanwhile,

00:23the EFCC remains tight linked on specific charges, as Nigerians demand transparency.

00:31Martin Vincent Ose, known across platforms as Very Dark Man, was picked up by operatives

00:37of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over fresh allegations of cyber stalking.

00:45The arrest reporter looked to place just outside a GT Bank branch in Area 3 Abuja. In what

00:51witnesses see was a joint operation involving the EFCC, DSS and police. It follows multiple

00:59complaints of online harassment, intimidation and defamation, all potentially breaching the

01:04Nigerian Cyber Security Act of 2015. This isn't BDM's first encounter with the law. In May 2024,

01:13it was arraigned on five counts of cyber stalking involving acquisitions from Nollywood figures

01:19Tontodike Aniyab Ojo and even the Nigerian police force. Later that year, he was charged with

01:26impersonating a police officer. In September, he was sued for one billion nera by Bob Risky,

01:33who claimed BDM spread false ordeal, allegedly AI-generated. And just last month, a court ordered

01:41his arrest over defamatory statements about gospel singer Mercy Chinwu. His lawyer, Deji Adeyeju,

01:48called the arrest excessive and said he had returned to Abuja to seek bail.

01:53He noticed that BDM had only recently made a public complaint at the GT Bank branch,

01:59alleging unauthorized deduction from his mother's account, raising questions about the timing of his

02:05arrest. However, GT Bank swiftly debunked any involvement. The bank released CCTV footage

02:12showing BDM existing in the banking hall and walking towards the car park, just before his arrest.

02:18The actual arrest wasn't captured. The bank urged the public to await formal investigation,

02:24stressing that the incident happened outside their premises. In response to public outcry,

02:31the EFCC issued a recent statement on its official ex-account, clarifying that Barry Darkman's arrest

02:37was based on multiple petitions, alleging serious financial crimes. The agency stated that despite

02:44several invitations sent through known addresses and communication channels, Ose failed to honor them,

02:50necessitating his arrest. While acknowledging its previous public criticism of the commission,

02:56the EFCC insisted the arrest was unrelated to those attacks. It confirmed that a legal remand order

03:03was obtained and that he has been offered an administrative bill pending fulfillment of the

03:08conditions. The commission urged Nigerians to allow it carry out its duty without interference,

03:14assuring that charges will be filed once investigations concludes. Former presidential candidate

03:20Vita Obe condemned the method of arrest, comparing it to an adoption. He warned that such tactics

03:27blow the line between legal enforcement and intimidation, endangering national security and public trust.

03:34Obe also criticized the reputational damage done to GT Bank, inting at larger consequences for Nigeria's

03:41economic image. Human rights activist Omo Yele Showere insisted the EFCC lacks constitutional authority

03:49to persecute defamation or cyberbullying cases. Meanwhile, supporters including David Doe and

03:56Kubada Chief Priest have taken to social media, calling for his immediate release. On Monday,

04:02dozens of protesters in Abuja took to the street, chanting,

04:07Free VDM, while only flankers like activism is not a sin, and VDM is the masses' laborator.

04:14They marched from the EFCC headquarters to GT Bank and later to the National Human Rights Commission,

04:21demanding answers from both the agency and the bank, although netizens did notice a low turnout in

04:28comparison to the former gatherings. The protesters claimed the arrest is a targeted crackdown

04:35and are urging a swift and lawful resolution, as at news time, the EFCC is seeking a court order to

04:42remand Ouse, pending formal arraignment. The nation watches closely, as a case of very dark man,

04:50raises deeper questions about lore, freedom of speech, and the limits of digital expression in Nigeria.

05:12Thank you very much.

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