A large group of protesters gathered on Monday at the headquarters of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) in Abuja, calling for the immediate release of popular social media activist Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan.
Chanting slogans and holding placards with messages such as “#FreeVDM,” “Activism is not a crime,” and “VDM speaks for the people,” the demonstrators accused authorities of unjustly targeting the influencer. Many expressed frustration over what they described as a crackdown on free speech.
VeryDarkMan was recently arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged cyberstalking—a move that has sparked widespread online criticism and questions about GTBank’s possible involvement.
According to his lawyer, human rights advocate Deji Adeyanju, VDM was allegedly ambushed by EFCC agents within the bank premises. GTBank has denied this claim and released CCTV footage in response.
The video shows VDM exiting the banking hall and walking toward the car park shortly before his arrest. However, the actual moment of arrest is not seen, as the area reportedly lies outside the range of the bank’s cameras.
This incident adds to a string of legal battles faced by VDM. In May 2024, he was arraigned on five counts of cyberstalking at the Federal High Court in Abuja, relating to alleged online harassment of the Nigeria Police and actresses Tonto Dikeh and Iyabo Ojo. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded pending bail.
In November 2024, he was again charged—this time with impersonation—after allegedly dressing as a police officer. He was granted bail set at ₦2 million.
The #FreeVDM movement continues to gain traction online and on the streets, with many Nigerians demanding justice and transparency in the handling of the case.
