Martins Vincent Otse, the Nigerian social media influencer popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has been detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The arrest was confirmed by activist lawyer Deji Adeyanju through a post shared on his official Facebook page on Friday evening.

The detention follows VDM’s public criticism of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) over allegations of unauthorized transactions from his mother’s account. The influencer accused the bank of mishandling the account, and this criticism reportedly led to GTB’s request for his arrest.

VDM’s accusations focus on unauthorized withdrawals made from his mother’s account at GTB, which he claims were carried out without his consent. In response to these incidents, VDM raised his concerns publicly on social media, prompting legal action from the bank. It is now reported that GTB may have played a role in initiating VDM’s detention by the EFCC.

Deji Adeyanju’s post included updates about VDM’s detention, revealing that a legal team, led by Marvin Omorogbe, visited VDM’s friend, who had also been arrested alongside him. During this visit, it was reported that VDM refused to leave his cell or meet with anyone. Furthermore, VDM was allegedly locked inside a GTB exit door for over five minutes, which gave EFCC officers the opportunity to arrest him and his friend.

Adeyanju expressed that legal actions would be pursued against GTB for what he described as inhumane treatment of his client. His statement suggests that the circumstances surrounding VDM’s arrest will be legally challenged.

The arrest of VDM has sparked concerns about the relationship between Nigerian influencers and powerful corporations. As social media figures like VDM increasingly use their platforms to address issues of public interest, their interactions with major institutions—such as banks—are likely to attract greater scrutiny.

This case highlights the delicate balance between free speech online and the influence of large corporations, raising questions about how influencers who challenge these entities might be treated in the future.

As Adeyanju and his team prepare to take legal action, the case is expected to garner significant attention from both the legal community and the broader public. The outcome of this situation could have important implications for the future of influencer activism and the protection of individual rights in Nigeria.