A Nigerian social media influencer, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan or VDM, is set to appear in court today over allegations of impersonating the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The controversy surrounds a viral video where VeryDarkMan wore NPF uniforms without authorization and referred to himself as CSP VeryDarkMan and Nigeria’s “number one online police officer”.
The NPF has condemned VeryDarkMan’s actions, emphasizing its commitment to maintaining the integrity of its uniforms and preventing unauthorized usage. In a statement, the force encouraged the public to stay informed as the case progresses in court. “Martins Otse, is set to appear in court today following allegations of impersonation related to the unauthorized use of Nigeria Police Force uniforms in a viral social media video”.
VeryDarkMan was detained by police on Thursday after responding to an official summons. His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, confirmed the detention on X, stating that his client had honored a similar invitation on Wednesday. This development comes amid a separate defamation suit filed by Femi Falana, a renowned human rights lawyer, against VeryDarkMan.
In a related case, the Federal High Court in Lagos ordered VeryDarkMan to remove defamatory posts against Femi Falana from all his social media handles within 21 days. Justice M.O. Dawodu granted the order, pending Otse’s compliance with the Pre-Action Protocol of the court.
