Vanguard News.
Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), a prominent social media influencer and blogger, has been recently reapprehended by the Nigerian police.
His legal representatives, Deji Adeyanju and Partners Chambers, disclosed this development to Vanguard via a phone conversation on Sunday.
According to the information conveyed, VDM's arrest stems from his public identification of an individual accused of defrauding a Nigerian residing overseas.
The statement from his legal team criticized the circumstances surrounding his arrest, alleging that the police acted on the orders of Mr.
Benneth Igwe, the Commissioner of Police overseeing the Federal Capital Territory Police Command. Instead of pursuing the accused fraudster, VDM himself was detained purportedly for defamation.
In essence, VDM had used his platform to highlight an alleged case of fraud involving a Nigerian expatriate, yet he found himself on the wrong side of the law.
The situation underscores a contentious issue regarding freedom of speech and the role of social media influencers in exposing wrongdoing.
This incident has sparked concerns about the selective application of law enforcement measures and the protection of individuals who use social media to bring attention to perceived injustices.
Critics argue that such actions may have a chilling effect on freedom of expression, particularly among those who aim to hold wrongdoers accountable through online platforms.
As the situation unfolds, it raises broader questions about the balance between the right to free speech and the legal responsibilities of individuals who engage in online activism or advocacy, especially in contexts where legal interpretations and enforcement practices may vary widely.