Opposition Leader and former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the arrest and continued detention of social media influencer and critic, Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), saying it was another blatant abuse of power by the President Bola Tinubu administration, which has made political repression a hallmark of its rule.
Atiku said more alarming was the fact that VeryDarkMan remains in custody without any formal charges in court, describing the development as a flagrant violation of his constitutional rights and a chilling reminder of the growing authoritarianism under the Tinubu government.
The former Vice President spoke via a post on his verified Facebook page on Monday afternoon.
He wrote: “The arrest and continued detention of social media influencer and outspoken critic, Mr. Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is yet another blatant abuse of power by the Tinubu administration, which has made political repression a hallmark of its rule.
“Even more alarming is the fact that Mr. Otse remains in custody without any formal charges is a flagrant violation of his constitutional rights and a chilling reminder of the growing authoritarianism under this government.
“This latest episode is part of a disturbing pattern: the Tinubu regime’s relentless assault on the fundamental freedoms of Nigerians, particularly those who dare to speak truth to power or align with the political opposition.
“We must not allow state-sponsored repression to become the defining character of our democracy.
“While security agencies are quick to target dissenters and critics, often in complete disregard of due process, political loyalists with credible allegations of corruption walk free, trading sycophancy for immunity.”
Atiku added that the Tinubu administration’s systematic crackdown on opposition voices was “nothing short of disgraceful” and an affront to democratic norms, which must be fiercely condemned and resisted.
