A group of protesters gathered outside the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) head office in Abuja on Monday, demanding the immediate release of social media personality Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.
Chanting slogans and waving placards with messages such as “Activism is not a crime,” “VDM stands for the people,” and “He is innocent,” the demonstrators rallied behind the trending hashtag #FreeVDM.
The protest was sparked by Otse’s recent arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which accused him of cyberstalking.
His detention has triggered widespread criticism, particularly amid claims that GTBank may have been involved in facilitating the arrest.
In response, the bank released CCTV footage showing Otse exiting its premises and walking toward the car park just before he was taken into custody.
However, the moment of his actual arrest was not captured on video.
Otse’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, maintains that EFCC operatives apprehended his client within the bank’s premises, challenging the narrative presented by the bank.
The incident has reignited debates about the conduct of Nigerian security agencies, especially in cases involving vocal critics of public figures and institutions.
Otse, a controversial online figure known for his outspoken activism, has faced multiple legal battles in recent months.
In May 2024, he was arraigned on cyberstalking charges linked to posts about the Nigeria Police and Nollywood actresses Iyabo Ojo and Tonto Dikeh.
He pleaded not guilty and was detained pending bail.
In November 2024, he was again charged—this time with impersonating a police officer. He denied the allegation and was granted bail set at ₦2 million.