The interrogation session, which lasted several hours, was attended by his legal representative, Barrister Marvin Omorogbe from Deji Adeyanju’s law firm.
Popular social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), underwent a second day of interrogation on Tuesday at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in connection with his recent public criticism of the agency.
SaharaReporters learnt that VDM, known for his outspoken views on national issues, is being questioned over comments he made accusing the EFCC of corruption.
The interrogation session, which lasted several hours, was attended by his legal representative, Barrister Marvin Omorogbe from Deji Adeyanju’s law firm.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the session focused primarily on Otse’s social media posts and videos in which he alleged deep-rooted corruption within the anti-graft commission.
“Barrister Omorogbe arrived at the EFCC office at 10 a.m. and remained there until 3 p.m.,” a source told SaharaReporters.
However, efforts to secure bail for his client were unsuccessful by the time Omorogbe left the EFCC premises at 3 p.m.
One of his lawyers, Adeyanju, confirmed to SaharaReporters around 5.40 p.m. on Tuesday that VDM had yet to be released on bail, noting that they were “working on it”.
VDM’s continued detention has sparked conversations online, with supporters calling for his immediate release and critics of the EFCC questioning the agency’s tolerance for dissent.
In a statement issued earlier on Tuesday, EFCC confirmed VDM’s arrest.
According to the Commission, VDM has been offered administrative bail and will be allowed to leave when he fulfils his bail conditions.
The EFCC added that VDM repeatedly ignored several invitations sent to his known addresses and communication channels, prompting law enforcement action.
The EFCC stated that the petitions it received detailed grave allegations of financial crimes that warrant a thorough investigation.
The agency affirmed its legal right to detain any suspect under investigation and revealed that a valid remand order was obtained for his custody.
The EFCC denied that VDM’s arrest was connected to his criticism of the agency.
“It is needful to admit that the Commission is aware of several unguarded attacks of the suspect against its operations. While such conduct is condemnable, his arrest was not informed by such attacks. The relevant law enforcement agency will be allowed to look into them,” it said.
The statement also read, “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the exercise of its mandate of tackling economic and financial crimes, invited Martins Innocent Otse owing to a series of petitions bordering on sundry issues of alleged financial crimes raised against him.
“He refused to show up in spite of several invitations sent to him through his known addresses and medium of communication. The petitions pertain to grave allegations of financial malfeasance which cannot be ignored by the Commission.”
SAHARA REPORTERS
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