The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for what it describes as the unlawful arrest and continued detention of social media influencer and social justice activist Mr Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.
In a strongly worded statement issued by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, on Sunday, the prominent civil rights group described the EFCC’s actions as an abuse of power and an overreach of its mandate.
HURIWA accused the anti-graft agency of acting as an enforcer for Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) rather than a protector of citizens’ rights.
According to HURIWA, the arrest stemmed from a visit by Mr Otse, his mother, Mrs Blessing Otse, and a friend, Mr Steven Avuara, to the GTBank branch in Garki, Area 3, Abuja, where they sought answers over alleged unauthorised deductions from Mrs Otse’s bank account.
The group claims that following their visit, Mr Otse and Mr Avuara were picked up by EFCC operatives without due explanation and have since been detained.
“This is so very unfortunate and constitutes an unmitigated illegality on the part of the EFCC,” HURIWA said.
“It is shocking that the agency, which is supposed to serve as a watchdog against financial crimes, is now being used as a bouncer for a bank allegedly involved in shady deductions.”
The statement further decried the EFCC’s alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act, warning that it is increasingly being used as a tool to silence activists and journalists.
“The frequent use of the Cybercrime Act by law enforcement agencies to clamp down on media practitioners and social justice advocates based on flimsy petitions is a gross abuse of power,” Onwubiko noted.
HURIWA insisted that VeryDarkMan’s visit to the bank was a peaceful exercise of his constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of expression and the pursuit of justice.
The group condemned what it termed a “contrived” warrant from a Magistrate Court accusing Mr Otse of cyberstalking and questioned why the EFCC is quick to arrest ordinary citizens while overlooking more severe financial crimes allegedly committed by politically connected individuals.
“Our Constitution guarantees a fair hearing and freedom of expression. Mr Otse did nothing more than seek redress for what he perceived as financial injustice against his mother. That does not qualify as a cybercrime,” the group stated.
The activist’s legal representatives, from the firm Deji Adeyanju and Partners, confirmed that EFCC officials had refused to disclose the basis for the detention.
In a statement signed by Zainab M. Otega, Esq., the law firm alleged that the detained activist and his companion were beaten and blindfolded during the arrest.
“Our team, led by Founding Partner Marvin Omorogbe and Associate Steven Eze, visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, where they were informed that the detainees were being held by the Special Duty Committee (SDC) Unit 4. Despite repeated requests, the EFCC failed to allow access to Mr Otse and declined to provide clarity on the allegations,” the law firm disclosed.
The group has called on the EFCC to either release the activist immediately or present verifiable evidence justifying his arrest.
HURIWA further demanded an end to the weaponisation of federal agencies to suppress dissent and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to ensure that institutions such as the EFCC operate within legal and constitutional boundaries.
“The continued detention of Mr Martins Vincent Otse without transparency or a credible legal basis is unconstitutional.
“If the EFCC cannot present any evidence of wrongdoing, it must release him and respect his rights as guaranteed under Chapter Four of the 1999 Constitution,” HURIWA declared.
The civil society group concluded by warning that Nigeria’s democratic integrity is at risk if government agencies continue to intimidate citizens rather than uphold justice and due process.
