The legal team representing Mr. Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has criticized the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for failing to formally inform their client of any charges following his arrest on May 1, 2025.
According to Zainab Otega, a member of VDM’s legal team, her client underwent hours of interrogation on Thursday, with her colleague Marvin Omorogbe present. Despite the EFCC’s earlier announcement that Otse had been granted administrative bail, he remains in custody as of press time. The legal team declined to disclose the bail conditions.
Otega raised serious concerns about the line of questioning during the interrogation, which she claimed focused on issues unrelated to financial crimes. These included Otse’s handling of naira notes in a nightclub, monetization of his social media accounts, remarks about a gospel artiste, his tax history, and income sources.
She described the EFCC’s approach as a “fishing expedition” rather than a focused investigation, accusing the agency of failing to clearly state the allegations against Otse—a move she argued violates his constitutional rights.
“The EFCC’s refusal to inform our client of the specific allegations against him constitutes a fundamental breach of his constitutional rights,” Otega said.
The legal team has called for Otse’s immediate release or, alternatively, that he be charged in court if credible evidence exists. Otega emphasized that his continued detention beyond the constitutional 24-hour limit is unlawful.
“We are calling on the commission to either release Mr. Otse immediately or charge him to court if there is indeed a case to answer,” she insisted.
Otega also urged the public to remain calm and peaceful, while thanking Nigerians for their support and interest in the case.
EFCC: VDM’s Arrest Lawful, Part of Ongoing Investigations
In response, the EFCC defended its actions in a statement signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale. The commission revealed that Otse had repeatedly ignored official invitations for questioning, prompting his arrest.
“While such conduct is condemnable, his arrest was not in response to his criticisms of the commission,” the EFCC stated, noting that any allegations of defamation would be handled by the appropriate authorities.
The commission affirmed it had secured a valid remand order and was operating within its legal rights to detain Otse during the course of its investigation.
“Otse has been offered administrative bail, subject to certain conditions,” the statement read. The EFCC also acknowledged the widespread public interest in the case and appealed for patience while investigations continue.
“The EFCC should be allowed to do its job without fear or favour,” the agency asserted, promising to lay charges once the investigation is concluded.
