The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed the arrest of social media influencer Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, following multiple petitions filed against him.
Speaking to BBC News Pidgin on Monday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale stated that the arrest was based on allegations of cyberstalking submitted by several individuals.
“We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations raised against him by some petitioners,” Oyewale said.
He added that VeryDarkMan would be released once he meets the bail conditions and that the matter would be taken to court in due course. “We are law-abiding,” he emphasised.
Responding to speculation about a possible connection to Guaranty Trust Bank, Oyewale clarified that the petitions came from different individuals and that the EFCC is responsible for acting on such complaints.
The commission also confirmed plans to arraign the influencer in court.
The news of his arrest broke on May 3rd, 2025, and was confirmed by activist lawyer Deji Adeyanju in a post on his official Facebook page.
Background: Arrest linked to bank dispute
Earlier reports pointed to a brewing dispute between VDM and Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB). According to sources, VDM had called out the bank after alleging that unauthorised transactions were made from his mother’s account.
In response to his public criticism, reports suggest that GTB may have played a role in alerting the EFCC, leading to his arrest. This claim, however, has not yet been confirmed by the bank.
