Popular Nigerian social media critic and activist, Vincent Martins Otse—widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM)—has spoken out following a fresh wave of allegations leveled against him, just days after his release from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
VDM was released on May 7, 2025, after spending six days in detention, which began with his controversial arrest at a GTBank branch in Abuja. Now, only days after regaining his freedom, the outspoken influencer is once again in the spotlight—this time over claims of intellectual property theft.
Speaking in a video posted on his social platforms, VDM alleged that there is a coordinated attempt by certain individuals to tarnish his name and orchestrate his imprisonment. He revealed that he was summoned by the EFCC on May 12 for further questioning, during which a woman identified as Princess Barbara Odoh accused him of stealing her concept.
The accusation, he explained, relates to his self-funded project focused on combating online fraud—particularly scams perpetrated by fake vendors across social media platforms. VDM has built a reputation for championing victims of online scams and helping them recover lost funds through public exposure and direct advocacy.
“On reaching EFCC, they brought up one allegation against me that is very crazy,” he said. “This woman is alleging that my initiative to fight online scams was her idea. Madam, how? This is my work, this is what I do.”
VDM elaborated that the initiative in question was something he had long nurtured and invested in, even while he was abroad in China. He stated that he has successfully helped multiple Nigerians retrieve millions of naira lost to fraudulent online transactions and that his platform is already synonymous with exposing online scammers.
Taking a swipe at Odoh’s credibility, he added: “You say it’s your idea, but who are you? Where is your platform? What have you done? How many people have you helped? Nobody even knows you. So how can you say I stole your idea?”
Calling the claim both baseless and defamatory, VDM described the allegation as yet another episode in what he believes is a larger scheme to suppress his voice. He asserted that if anyone truly wanted to bring him down, they should at least present a weighty accusation worthy of the effort.
“If una wan hold me, make una find something very big, no be all these ones. I big pass all these things,” he declared confidently.
Despite the drama, VDM remained firm in his belief that his work matters. He expressed pride in the impact he’s made so far, particularly in helping everyday Nigerians recover from cyber fraud.
“My pride in all of this is being able to say I did something meaningful in this country before I leave this world,” he said.
On a final note, VDM vowed to take both legal and traditional action against his accuser. He announced plans to sue Odoh for defamation and made it clear that he would also pursue traditional justice.
“Madam, you go go court and you go swear juju,” he stated, signaling his readiness to clear his name by any means necessary.
As reactions pour in online, fans and critics alike are closely watching how the saga unfolds, with many questioning whether VDM is a target of political or social suppression—or simply caught in the growing complexities of influencer accountability in the digital age.
Click the link below to watch video:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJkDF7bICgN/?igsh=YzljYTk1ODg3Zg==
