TAKE IT BACK MOVEMENT DEMANDS THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF MARTINS VINCENT OTSE (VERYDARKMAN)

PRESS STATEMENT

TAKE IT BACK MOVEMENT DEMANDS THE IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF MARTINS VINCENT OTSE (VERYDARKMAN)

Date: May 4, 2025

The Take It Back Movement condemns in strong terms the unlawful arrest and continued detention of popular activist and social media commentator, Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mr. Otse was arrested on Thursday, May 2, 2025, shortly after exiting the GTBank branch in Area 3, Garki, Abuja, where he had gone alongside his mother and associate to inquire about unauthorized deductions from his mother’s bank account. His arrest, captured on CCTV and now publicly circulating, appears premeditated and raises serious questions about abuse of power and the increasing use of state security agencies to silence critical voices.

Worse still, his mother, who was with him at the time, remains missing, and her whereabouts are unknown which is a deeply troubling development that only further underscores the lawless conduct of the agencies involved.

This is not the first time Mr. Otse has been targeted for his outspoken views on injustice, corruption and societal ills. The continued harassment of VeryDarkMan is an attack not only on him but on every Nigerian committed to democracy, accountability, and free expression.

We demand the following:

1. Immediate and unconditional release of Martins Vincent Otse (VeryDarkMan).
2. Full disclosure of the whereabouts and safety of his mother.
3. A public explanation from the EFCC and GTBank regarding the circumstances of the arrest.
4. An end to the growing pattern of using state institutions to harass activists and citizens exercising their constitutional rights.

The Take It Back Movement stands resolutely with VeryDarkMan and all voices of conscience. We call on the Nigerian public, civil society organizations, and the international community to speak out against this injustice and demand accountability from those in power.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Signed,
Adekunle Adeyemi Taofeek (Scotty Aluta)
Lagos State Coordinator
Take It Back Movement