- By Halimah Olamide
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has said social media influencer, Martins Otse popularly called Very Dark Man was not arrested.
The Command said this against the background of media reports which said the blogger and activist had been arrested on Sunday on the orders of the the Commissioner of Police Mr. Bennet Igwe.
But the command in a response late Sunday, VDM was only invited for questioning.
Command spokesman, SP Josephine Adeh, said in a statement released through her X handle,
“FCT Police command wishes to clarify that VDM was not arrested by the police but invited for questioning on the allegation of cyber stalking, cyber bullying and defamation of character. He has since been released after voluntarily giving his statement on the allegations.”
The reports of the arrest had sparked an online anger and condemnations among supporters of the social media influencer.
One of the associates of VDM, Comrade Deji Adeyanju, has said that rather than arrest another social media influencer Ashmusy who was exposed by VDM over an alleged fraud.
Adeyanju had tweeted on Sunday, “Our client, @thatverydarkman has just been arrested by the police on the instruction of CP Igwe for exposing someone who allegedly duped a Nigerian abroad. Instead of the police to arrest the person alleged to have duped someone, they arrested VDM on allegation of defamation.”
NPO Reported on Sunday that VDM was released June 13 after weeks in detention over another allegation of cyberstalking.