VDM to be released today, faces multiple charges in court Thursday
By Luminous Jannamike & Efe Onodjae
Activist and social media influencer, Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, VDM, arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday, will be released today, a source has told Vanguard.
According to the source, VDM will be released, following the protest that greeted his arrest, while he will be charged in court on Thursday.
Scores of youths had, yesterday, taken to the streets of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, protesting his arrest and continued detention.
This came as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, activist Richard Akinnola; Afrobeat superstar, Davido, celebrity bar man, Cubana Chief Priest, and others have condemned his arrest.
The EFCC had confirmed that VeryDarkMan has not yet been formally charged in court, saying it was preparing to file multiple charges against him, centred on allegations of cyberstalking and other related offences.
The protesters, who were sighted in the Wuse area, after the Berger bridge, described VDM’s arrest and detention as illegal.
They also vowed to take their grievance to the Nigerian Human Rights Commission, NHRC, in the Maitama district of the nation’s capital.
A source in the EFCC, speaking to Vanguard in Abuja, yesterday, said: “I can confirm that as of today, VeryDarkMan has not yet been formally charged in court. However, charges are currently being prepared based on multiple petitions alleging cyberstalking and related offences.
“We intend to file these charges in the coming days. Once that is done, you will be among the first to be informed.”
VDM’s arrest, last Friday, has sparked significant public interest and concern.