Former Vice President and prominent opposition leader Atiku Abubakar has vocally condemned the arrest and ongoing detention of social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a statement released on Monday, Atiku characterized this action as “yet another blatant abuse of power” by the Bola Tinubu administration, alleging that it employs political repression as a governance strategy.
“Even more concerning is the fact that Mr. Otse remains in custody without any formal charges—this constitutes a flagrant violation of his constitutional rights and serves as a chilling reminder of the increasing authoritarianism under this government,” Atiku asserted.
He contended that the detention is part of a “disturbing pattern” exhibited by the Tinubu administration, which seeks to suppress fundamental freedoms, particularly targeting dissenters and opposition figures.
“We must not permit state-sponsored repression to become the hallmark of our democracy,” Atiku cautioned.
The former presidential candidate further criticized security agencies for their selective enforcement, highlighting the swift arrests of dissenters—often executed without due process—while political allies facing corruption allegations remain unscathed.
“The systematic repression of opposition voices by the Tinubu administration is nothing short of disgraceful. It represents a blatant affront to democratic principles and must be vehemently condemned and opposed,” he concluded.
