Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly condemned the arrest and continued detention of popular social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), describing it as a blatant abuse of power by the Bola Tinubu administration.
In a statement on Monday, Atiku criticized the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for holding Otse without formal charges, following his arrest last week over allegations of cyberstalking based on multiple petitions.
Atiku accused the Tinubu government of orchestrating a broader crackdown on dissent, saying the arrest fits into a “disturbing pattern” of repression targeting critics and opposition figures.
“This latest episode is part of a disturbing pattern: the Tinubu regime’s relentless assault on the fundamental freedoms of Nigerians,” he said.
He further warned that Otse’s prolonged detention without due process violates his constitutional rights and signals a troubling shift towards authoritarianism. “We must not allow state-sponsored repression to become the defining character of our democracy,” Atiku added.
The former vice president also pointed to what he called a double standard in the government’s approach to justice, where critics are swiftly targeted while loyalists with corruption allegations remain untouched. “Political loyalty now seems to offer immunity in exchange for silence,” he noted.
Atiku urged Nigerians and the international community to speak out against what he called a disgraceful assault on democratic values and civil liberties, warning that silence could embolden further rights violations.
The EFCC has defended the arrest, stating that Otse is being held to respond to the petitions and will be released once he meets bail conditions. Still, public outcry continues to mount as rights groups question the legality and motive behind his detention.
