The legal team representing controversial social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has raised alarm over the mysterious disappearance of his mother, Mrs. Blessing Otse, following his dramatic arrest by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a statement released on Friday by Deji Adeyanju & Partners, the lawyers detailed the troubling sequence of events that led to the arrest of VDM and his associate, Steven Avuara (aka C-Pack), on May 2, 2025—an operation that has since sparked national outrage.
According to the legal team, VeryDarkMan, his mother, and Avuara had visited a Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) branch in Garki, Area 3, Abuja, to address unauthorized deductions from Mrs. Otse’s account. However, what should have been a routine banking inquiry took a sinister turn.
“From our conversation with Mr. Avuara, we gathered that after making their inquiries, they attempted to leave the bank—but were suddenly trapped inside the bank’s security door for over five minutes,” the statement, signed by Zainab M. Otega, Esq., revealed.
As soon as the trio finally exited the bank, chaos erupted.
“Barely a few meters from the bank’s premises, they were accosted at gunpoint by armed men dressed in black uniforms, beaten, and blindfolded,” the legal team disclosed.
While EFCC has admitted to detaining VeryDarkMan and Avuara, the lawyers are demanding answers regarding Mrs. Otse’s whereabouts, insisting that the anti-graft agency has failed to provide any information on whether she was also taken into custody—or worse.
“At the time of issuing this statement, Mrs. Otse remains missing, and no official explanation has been given,” the lawyers said gravely.
Upon hearing of the arrests, Marvin Omorogbe, founding partner of the legal firm, and associate Steven Eze, rushed to the EFCC Headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.
Shockingly, they were only allowed to speak to Avuara, who relayed chilling details of their detention.
According to him, EFCC officers branded them as ‘bandits’ and threatened to shoot—right in front of Mrs. Otse. The lawyers now suspect this traumatic experience may have left VDM unwilling to communicate with anyone, fearing for his life.
Adding to the controversy, the EFCC allegedly failed to formally inform Avuara of any charges against him but attempted to interrogate him nonetheless.
“Our colleagues repeatedly requested to know the specific allegations against Mr. Avuara, but EFCC officers refused to disclose any details,” the statement noted.
The only official charge presented was an arrest warrant for VeryDarkMan on allegations of cyberstalking, an accusation critics say is part of a larger crackdown on outspoken activists.
In response to these procedural violations, the legal team walked out of the EFCC premises in protest.
Following the incident, GTBank has also come under intense scrutiny, with many questioning its role in what appears to be a coordinated ambush.
Activist-lawyer Deji Adeyanju accused the bank of deliberately trapping VDM inside its security exit door, enabling EFCC officers to execute the arrest smoothly.
“VDM was locked inside the GTBank exit door for over five minutes to facilitate his arrest,” Adeyanju stated, vowing legal action against the bank for its alleged collusion.
As news of the controversial arrest and Mrs. Otse’s mysterious disappearance spreads, social media has erupted in fury, with many Nigerians demanding answers.
Rights groups and activists have condemned the EFCC’s tactics, labeling them a blatant abuse of power and calling for immediate transparency regarding Mrs. Otse’s whereabouts.
Meanwhile, VDM’s legal team has vowed to escalate the matter legally and publicly until justice is served.
“While we continue to engage the EFCC on this issue, we demand that they uphold the constitutionally guaranteed rights of our clients,” the statement concluded.
With Mrs. Blessing Otse still unaccounted for, and the EFCC remaining silent, one chilling question looms:
Where is VeryDarkMan’s mother?
PIONEER NEWS 