The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has
denied a viral report claiming it disclosed the reasons behind the detention of
controversial social media commentator VeryDarkMan (VDM).
The activist was detained on Friday after visiting a
Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) branch in Abuja with his mother to address alleged
unauthorised withdrawals from her account.
Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju later revealed that VDM’s
arrest followed a petition filed by a magistrate in Abuja.
However, on Monday, BBC Pidgin quoted Dele Oyewale, EFCC
spokesperson, as saying the activist was arrested based on petitions filed by some
individuals who had grievances against him.
When asked if the petitions were related to GTB, Oyewale was
quoted to have said the complaints came from different individuals and that the
EFCC has a responsibility to protect them.
“We arrested him to respond to a series of allegations
raised against him by some petitioners,” Oyewale was quoted as saying.
“We will release him once he meets the bail conditions, and
we will take the case to court as soon as possible. We are law-abiding.”
Following his detention, supporters and associates of
VeryDarkMan took to social media to campaign for his freedom.
Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi
condemned VDM’s arrest, calling it a “disregard for the rule of law and human
rights”.
Atiku Abubakar, the former vice-president, expressed his
disappointment with the “continued detention” of the activist without formal
charges, describing it as a “violation of his constitutional rights and a sign
of growing authoritarianism” in the country.
Davido also joined the outcry, praising the widespread
support for VeryDarkMan as “proof that genuine activism impacts lives”.
However, shortly afterward, the commission denied speaking
with BBC Pidgin.
The EFCC, which has stayed quiet about the activist’s
detention dismissed the BBC Pidgin report as “fake news” in a post via X.
— EFCC Nigeria (@officialEFCC) May 5, 2025Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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