The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed that popular social media activist Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), will be released once he meets his bail conditions.
Speaking to BBC News Pidgin on Monday, EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale stated, “We will release him if he meets his bail conditions, and we will take the case to court as soon as possible.”
Oyewale explained that VDM’s arrest followed multiple petitions submitted by various individuals alleging misconduct. “We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations raised against him by some petitioners,” he said. 
VDM’s arrest, which was executed in Abuja by EFCC operatives, has sparked a significant backlash online, with many accusing the commission of cracking down on dissent.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the arrest and ongoing detention of VeryDarkMan describing it as a further indication of the growing authoritarianism under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Also, the former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Sowore Omoyele, has claimed EFCC arrested VeryDarkMan to silence him.
