The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has come under fire following the arrest of prominent social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).
The move, critics say, represents a growing trend of targeting dissenting voices online.
Omoyele Sowore, former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), raised the alarm on Sunday through his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, accusing the EFCC of unlawfully detaining Otse in an effort to stifle his persistent allegations of corruption against the agency.
“It has been established that the @officialEFCC unlawfully arrested and detained Martins Vincent Otse aka VDM, as a means to silence him for accusing the agency and its leaders of corruption and malfeasance,” Sowore wrote. He called the arrest a “clear abuse of power.”
According to Sowore, the EFCC is considering fast-tracking legal proceedings against Otse and could bring charges as early as Monday.
He suggested that the agency is scrambling to legitimize what he termed an unlawful detention by filing charges in court.
“The @officialEFCC is currently exploring legal avenues to charge him in court, possibly tomorrow,” he stated.
READ ALSO: ‘Arrest No Be New Thing’ — VeryDarkMan Taunts Police Over Warrant
In his post, Sowore also challenged the legal foundation of the EFCC’s actions, arguing that the agency lacks the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for offenses like criminal defamation, libel, or cybercrime — charges which are often deployed in cases involving online speech.
“These are torts typically addressed through civil lawsuits,” Sowore noted. “As a result, the EFCC must release VDM immediately.”
As of press time, the EFCC had not issued a formal response to the allegations or confirmed the reason behind Otse’s detention. Attempts to reach an EFCC spokesperson were unsuccessful.
The incident has sparked online debate and added to mounting concerns over freedom of expression and the use of state apparatus to suppress dissent.
VeryDarkMan is known for his blunt, often provocative commentary on Nigerian politics and public figures, drawing both praise and controversy.