Amnesty International has called for the immediate release of Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), following his reported arrest and detention by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to Amnesty International, Otse was taken into custody without any clear charges or public explanation from authorities. The rights organization described the arrest as an abuse of power and a calculated attempt to silence a vocal critic.
“Punishing individuals for exercising their right to freedom of expression is unlawful. No institution is above scrutiny or criticism,” Amnesty International said in a statement.
Otse is widely known for his advocacy, which focuses on holding corporate and public institutions accountable to the Nigerian people — actions that Amnesty International emphasized are protected by both the Nigerian Constitution and international law.
The organization warned that the repeated manipulation of law enforcement agencies to suppress dissenting voices erodes the rule of law and undermines democratic principles in the country.
“It is unacceptable for law enforcement agencies, whose duty is to protect lives and uphold justice, to be used as tools to suppress freedom of expression,” Amnesty International added.
The group has called on Nigerian authorities to immediately release Otse and respect citizens’ constitutional rights to free expression and civic engagement.
