Friends of popular Nigerian social media influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), have raised concerns over the treatment he is receiving in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to his associate, activist-lawyer Deji Adeyanju, VDM was arrested by EFCC operatives on Friday. Since then, efforts by his friends to see or provide him with food have reportedly been denied.
In a video shared online, Koko Pee, a close friend of VDM, lamented that EFCC officials turned him away when he attempted to deliver food. He quoted the Commission as saying they would provide food themselves.
“We are here at the EFCC headquarters, trying to take food and go and see VDM. The body that took the beating needs to eat,” Koko Pee said. Later, he revealed that there was a standing order preventing anyone from seeing or feeding VDM until Monday.
As of the time of reporting, EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale could not be reached for comment, and calls to official EFCC lines were unsuccessful.
The arrest has ignited online criticism, with some alleging the involvement of a financial institution in what is being described as a targeted crackdown on the controversial influencer.
