An Abuja Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 6 has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of controversial social media activist Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).
The arrest order was issued on Thursday in connection with a criminal defamation case filed against VDM by renowned gospel singer Mercy Chinwo.
Presiding over the case, Magistrate Emmanuel Iyana directed the Nigeria Police Force and other law enforcement agencies to apprehend and present VDM before the court to address the allegations brought against him. The court took this action after the activist failed to comply with a summons issued on March 5, requiring his appearance.
Efforts by VDM’s legal representative, Deji Adeyanju, to prevent the arrest were unsuccessful. Adeyanju requested permission to personally ensure his client’s presence at the next hearing, but the court denied the appeal and upheld the arrest order.
Defamation Allegations Against VDM
VDM stands accused of making defamatory claims about Mercy Chinwo on social media. He allegedly asserted that the gospel singer was involved in a contractual dispute and had misappropriated $345,000 linked to her former record label executive, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, popularly known as Eezee Tee.
Chinwo, disputing these allegations, provided the court with documents such as emails and payment receipts to substantiate her innocence. Her legal team, led by Pelumi Olajengbesi, argued that VDM’s statements violated Section 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24(1)(B) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2015.
Additionally, Chinwo’s lawyers have separately filed a ₦1.1 billion lawsuit against VDM in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The suit seeks an order compelling him to remove and retract the alleged defamatory statements while issuing a public apology to the singer and her brand.
