Arrest Of VDM Abuse Of Power –Atiku
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the arrest and detention of social critic Martins Vincent Otse, known by his social media name as VeryDarkMan (VDM).
VDM was arrested on Friday after leading his mother to a bank in Abuja. The EFCC later admitted he is in custody and would soon be charged in court.
Atiku, in a statement he shared on social media on Monday, said his arrest was an abuse of power, highlighting that it is alarming for the EFCC to arrest VDM without charging him in court.
He said 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.”
Atiku said, “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.”
Arrest Of VDM Abuse Of Power –Atiku is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
