Security agency controversially arrested VeryDarkman last week, triggering protests and calls for his unconditional release.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released the controversial social media activist Martins Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), from detention.

In a video shared on Instagram by blogger Tunde Ednut on the evening of Wednesday, May 7, 2025, VeryDarkMan is seen sitting in the back of a car with his lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju behind the wheel.

During the clip, the activist laughed off rumors suggesting that his arrest was tied to an alleged money laundering operation. He explained that his significant spending on charitable causes often leads people to question the source of his funds, unaware that he takes on debt to support his initiatives.

"Anyways, we're outside. With my lawyer, of course," he screamed ecstatically. "And you know what we do: We can never get inside when we have our lawyer by our side," he continued.

"So right now, Barrister Deji you're going to survive me with at least $3,000 for a start."

The development follows Adeyanju’s frustration with the EFCC’s handling of the bail process, which he referred to as “social media bail.” This came after the agency failed to provide formal bail documents despite announcing that VeryDarkMan had been granted administrative bail.

“Bail granted to VDM, social media bail, as we still haven’t received any official bail documents from the commission. We’ve repeatedly requested this since yesterday when we were told about the bail decision,” Adeyanju said.

In a statement on Tuesday, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC's Head of Media and Publicity, confirmed that VeryDarkMan had been granted bail but remained in custody until his bail conditions were met.

VeryDarkMan, the outspoken activist, was arrested on Friday, May 2, 2025, at a Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) branch, along with a friend identified only as C Park.

The EFCC stated that VeryDarkMan was invited for questioning following several petitions alleging serious financial crimes. He was arrested after reportedly ignoring multiple invitations sent to his known addresses and communication channels.

His arrest led to significant public backlash, sparking protests in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as supporters took to the streets demanding his immediate release.