The arrest of social activist Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been heavily criticised by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and former presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar as a clear misuse of power by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Atiku charged that Tinubu had made political repression the defining feature of his government.
He said it is shameful that the Tinubu administration has been systematically suppressing opposing voices.
Taking to his X account, the former Vice President expressed his opinion, further describing the action of the Tinubu led administration as a disrespect to democratic norms that must be strongly refused and opposed
Recall that VeryDarkMan was arrested on Friday by the EFCC over an unspecified infraction after he called out the bank for suspicious activities on his mother’s account.
Before his arrest, Verydarkman had announced his visit to one of the GTBank offices in Abuja, to complain about an alleged deduction from his mother’s account.
According to the EFCC, Verydarkman was arrested in response to multiple petitions against him, adding that he will soon face charges in court.
Following this development, Atiku wrote: “The arrest and continued detention of social media influencer and outspoken critic, Mr. Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is yet another blatant abuse of power by the Tinubu administration, which has made political repression a hallmark of its rule.
“Even more alarming is the fact that Mr. Otse remains in custody without any formal charges is a flagrant violation of his constitutional rights and a chilling reminder of the growing authoritarianism under this government.
“This latest episode is part of a disturbing pattern: the Tinubu regime’s relentless assault on the fundamental freedoms of Nigerians, particularly those who dare to speak truth to power or align with the political opposition.”
“We must not allow state-sponsored repression to become the defining character of our democracy.
“While security agencies are quick to target dissenters and critics, often in complete disregard of due process, political loyalists with credible allegations of corruption walk free, trading sycophancy for immunity.
“The Tinubu administration’s systematic crackdown on opposition voices is nothing short of disgraceful. It is an affront to democratic norms and must be fiercely condemned and resisted” he added.
Nigerians and supporters of Verydarkman have stormed the GTbank headquarters in Abuja demanding for his release.
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