- Popular social media activist VeryDarkMan was interrogated by the DSS until 2 AM following a court order regarding a leaked video from an ongoing coup plot trial
- A lawyer separately petitioned the EFCC to investigate VDM and activist-lawyer Deji Adeyanju over alleged terrorism financing — VDM says it is a political attempt to silence him
- The two developments have sparked a massive debate about the limits of social media activism and government pushback in Nigeria
In the fast-moving world of Nigerian social media, few figures command as much attention — and attract as much controversy — as Martins Vincent Otse, the activist universally known as VeryDarkMan.
But over the past 72 hours, his usual digital battles have spilled over into very real, very serious legal territory.
The activist is currently fighting on two major fronts simultaneously, facing investigations from both the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). For a man whose brand is built on exposing the secrets of others, the spotlight is now firmly, and uncomfortably, on him.
Here is exactly what has happened, step by step, and why the entire country is talking about it.
The DSS interrogation: the leaked coup video
The most serious development occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Earlier in the week, a restricted video from the ongoing trial of suspected coup plotters at the Federal High Court in Abuja surfaced on VeryDarkMan's social media platforms. The leak prompted immediate action from the presiding judge, Honourable Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who ordered the DSS to investigate how the activist obtained the sensitive footage.
VeryDarkMan confirmed the interrogation himself in a video posted to his Instagram page, revealing the intensity of the questioning.
"I got to my house this morning at around 2am because I was at the DSS office where I was being interrogated and investigated over a video I posted 4 days ago," he stated. "I was asked to give an account of how I got the said video that I published, which I have answered with the whole truth."
While he claims to have cooperated fully, the situation remains precarious. Leaking restricted court materials, particularly those involving national security and treason trials, carries severe legal implications that go far beyond standard social media defamation.
The EFCC petition: terrorism financing allegations
While the DSS was investigating the video leak, a separate legal challenge was developing on another front.
On June 17, 2026, a legal practitioner named Blessing Agbomhere submitted a petition to the EFCC, demanding a comprehensive investigation into the financial dealings of VeryDarkMan and activist-lawyer Deji Adeyanju.
The petition made sweeping allegations, asking the anti-graft agency to probe the source of funds behind their advocacy work, protests and public mobilisation. Agbomhere urged investigators to examine possible signs of money laundering, unlawful fundraising and even terror financing, suggesting that hidden funding structures could be undermining national security.
It is important to note that the petitioner explicitly stated the request should not be interpreted as an accusation of criminal conduct, but rather a call for transparency.
VeryDarkMan has not taken the petition quietly. In a series of public statements, he accused the APC of orchestrating a coordinated campaign to silence him, framing the EFCC petition as a politically motivated attack on his activism rather than a genuine anti-corruption inquiry. As of the time of writing, no fresh EFCC arrest or detention in June 2026 has been confirmed.
The price of influence
The simultaneous investigations into VeryDarkMan represent a critical moment for Nigeria's digital culture.
For years, the activist has operated as a self-appointed digital vigilante, using his massive platform to call out perceived injustices, often crossing lines that traditional media avoids. His supporters view him as a necessary disruptor in a corrupt system; his critics view him as a dangerous provocateur who operates without accountability.
What the events of the last 72 hours prove is that the Nigerian state is no longer ignoring the power of social media influencers. When digital activism intersects with national security trials and opaque funding structures, the government's response is swift and heavy-handed.
Whether VeryDarkMan emerges from these investigations vindicated or severely compromised remains to be seen. But the message to the rest of Nigeria's creator economy is clear: the internet may feel like the Wild West, but the real-world authorities are watching.
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