Prominent Nigerian spiritual leader, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has publicly criticized the recent arrest of social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), calling on Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) to take immediate steps to secure his release.
VDM was apprehended on Friday at a GTBank branch in Abuja, where he had gone to address concerns over unauthorized debits from his mother’s account.
EFCC officials arrest VDM at GTBank
His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, reported that the arrest was executed by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who detained him without providing clear reasons for the action.
In a statement shared on his official Twitter account, Primate Ayodele expressed dismay over the incident, asserting that every Nigerian has the constitutional right to freedom of expression.
He emphasized that silencing activists through arrests is detrimental to democratic principles.
The cleric went further to criticize GTBank’s involvement, referring to the institution as “Jibiti,” a Yoruba term implying deceit, and urged the bank to facilitate VDM’s immediate release.
“Everyone has a right to their voice. In the Nigerian Constitution, Section 39 guarantees the right to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference,” Ayodele stated.
EFCC scheming to charge critic to court – Yele
The arrest has sparked widespread reactions across social media platforms, with many Nigerians expressing outrage and demanding VDM’s release.
Activist Omoyele Sowore alleged that the EFCC plans to charge VDM in court on Monday to legitimize his detention, a move he described as an attempt to suppress dissent.
As of now, neither GTBank nor the EFCC has issued an official statement regarding the circumstances surrounding VDM’s arrest.
The situation continues to draw attention from civil society groups and the general public, who are closely monitoring developments and advocating for the protection of individual rights and freedoms in Nigeria
APC gives VeryDarkMan one week to apologize
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the South-South chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had issued a stern warning to popular social media activist, Martins Vincent Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan, demanding that he tender an apology to Senate President Godswill Akpabio within one week.
The warning, conveyed in a statement by Blessing Agbomhere, Zonal Organizing Secretary of the South-South APC, came after VeryDarkMan released a viral video sharply criticizing Akpabio’s recent trip to the Vatican