Popular rights activist and social media influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has been released from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, confirmed it in a phone conversation.
Operatives of the anti-graft agency apprehended him (VDM) in Abuja on Friday.
The arrest and subsequent detention of the activist sparked widespread controversy on social media, with several celebrities, including the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, and popular singer, Davido, calling for his immediate release.
However, on Monday, EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed that the agency was responsible for VDM’s arrest.
He also disclosed the reason behind the activist’s arrest.
He added that the EFCC was obligated to protect the identities and interests of those who lodged the complaints.
“We arrested him (VDM) to respond to a series of allegations raised against him by some petitioners. We will release him once he meets the bail conditions, and we will take the case to court as soon as possible,” he said.
Meanwhile, some youths took to the streets of Abuja in the early hours of Monday to protest against the arrest of VDM.
The protesters, carrying placards with various inscriptions, described his arrest and detention as unlawful.
