The arrest of social media commentator Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, by masked agents—allegedly from the EFCC or DSS—outside a GTBank branch in Abuja, following his public criticism of the bank, offers yet another troubling insight into the shrinking civic space in Nigeria. Otse had gone to the bank to demand explanations over repeated loan deductions from his mother’s account—transactions he insisted were unauthorized and unjustified. What followed was not clarification, but arrest. According to his lawyer, he was apprehended after speaking with the police and remains in custody at the time of writing.
The development is more than a banking dispute gone viral. It is a textbook example of how Nigeria’s security apparatus is increasingly deployed to silence dissent and criminalize civic engagement. Otse did not issue threats, incite violence, or disrupt public peace. He questioned financial malpractice, demanded transparency, and took his concerns public after getting no meaningful response. His arrest suggests that challenging powerful institutions—even on matters of personal grievance—is now grounds for police intervention and public humiliation.
This development fits into a troubling pattern of state behaviour that mirrors the excesses once associated with military rule. Arbitrary arrests, restrictions on freedom of expression, harassment of dissenting voices, and the deployment of legal instruments to suppress criticism have become regular features of Nigeria’s civic landscape. The government continues to blur the line between democratic governance and authoritarian control, often to the detriment of those who dare to speak against injustice.
Democracy should be defined by respect for fundamental rights, protection of free expression, and the rule of law. Yet these principles are increasingly undermined. Legal mechanisms are often used not to uphold justice, but to intimidate critics. Institutions that ought to act as checks on executive excesses appear compromised or complicit. Citizens are left exposed to abuse, with limited recourse.
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Equally troubling is the response of the broader public. A culture of selective outrage and short-lived activism now characterizes public engagement. When a popular figure like Cubana Chief Priest displays overt political alignment, criticism is quickly met with deflection. Instead of engaging with the substance of dissenting opinions, many individuals rally in defence of privilege, wealth, or celebrity status, revealing a disturbing comfort with injustice when it aligns with personal admiration or perceived benefit.
This inconsistency is corrosive. The same individuals who condemn hardship, insecurity, and economic failure often become apologists for the symbols and agents of that failure when fame or fortune is involved. What emerges is not a principled opposition to oppression, but a desire to be on the winning side of power. Injustice is tolerated so long as it does not directly affect personal interests.
The arrest of VeryDarkMan has followed the same familiar cycle. Public noise on social media gives way to silence. Online solidarity lacks meaningful follow-through. Calls for protest or boycotts fade without coordination. This pattern has become predictable, and those in power exploit it. They understand that there is little sustained resistance, no consistent strategy, and minimal collective resolve.
A society that cannot sustain collective outrage in the face of injustice risks becoming complicit in its repression. Too often, Nigerians have chosen resignation over resistance. Rather than demand structural change, many settle for temporary comfort or individual escape. In doing so, they help to normalize the very abuses they claim to oppose.
VeryDarkMan’s arrest is not an isolated incident. It is a reflection of a broader civic environment where speaking out comes at a cost, and where the state is increasingly intolerant of scrutiny. His arrest should be seen not just as an attack on one individual but as a message to all who seek to hold power accountable.
Real change requires more than momentary outrage. It demands courage, consistency, and a willingness to defend principles, even when inconvenient. Until Nigerians begin to reject all forms of oppression, regardless of the source or beneficiary, the promise of democracy will remain unfulfilled.
A government that rules without accountability, silences opposition, and exploits public passivity does not govern democratically. If this trend continues unchallenged, it is no longer honest to describe Nigeria as a democracy. It is a civilian dictatorship, enabled not only by those who lead but by those who remain silent.
