Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has condemned the 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).
Atiku, in a statement he personally signed on Monday, described it as yet another blatant abuse of power by the Tinubu administration, which he said had made political repression a hallmark of its rule.
This came as the EFCC said VDM was arrested following multiple petitions against him.
However, Atiku said it was more alarming “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.”
He stated that, “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 —AA”.