Martin Otse, better known as VeryDarkMan, a controversial activist, has reacted to the invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), arguing that the commission failed to address the core issues before inviting him.
Otse and Idris Okuneye, alias Bobrisky were asked to make themselves available at the Lagos directorate of the EFCC after he shared a video online wherein the crossdresser claimed she bribed some officials of the agency with N15,000,000 to drop the charges against her.
VeryDarkMan had also shared a purported audio conversation wherein Bobrisky claimed that Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and Falz, his son, contacted him.
In the recording, Bobrisky alleged that she spoke with Falz in prison and that the rapper and his dad “tried to get me a presidential pardon in exchange for N10m."
Meanwhile, responding to the allegation on Wednesday, Falana described it as a “vicious and reckless” attempt to “impugn my reputation”.
Falana issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Abuja-based activist to retract his statement “to avoid legal remedies”.
Bobrisky was released from prison on August 5 after she was sentenced to six months on April 12 for abusing the naira.
Reacting to the EFCC’s invitation via a video on his Instagram page, VeryDarkMan said the EFCC is yet to address the “core issue” — which is to confirm Bobrisky’s detention”.
The activist also questioned the EFCC’s motives. He asked the agency to investigate their officers, particularly those involved in Bobrisky’s case, before inviting him for questioning.
“The EFCC’s press release didn’t even address the core issue. Why didn’t they confirm that Bobrisky was in their custody? Bobrisky is the suspect, and the EFCC should have verified that,” he said.
“If the person who released the statement couldn’t confirm Bobrisky’s detention, there’s a problem. Before inviting someone like me, you should first conduct a thorough investigation of your officers, especially those involved in Bobrisky’s case.
“Examine their accounts and actions. Only after that can you invite me, Martin Otse, aka VeryDarkMan. You’re asking me to come to Lagos when the EFCC headquarters is in Abuja. It doesn’t make sense.
“I suggest you invite Bobrisky to Abuja for the investigation. Besides, I don’t have N15 million to settle anything, and I don’t have a godfather. I don’t trust you, and you could easily set me up. Investigate your officers first, then talk to me.
“Even if I want to come you have to book me a first-class ticket and a five-star hotel. You can send me an invitation to come with my money, no be me collect N15 million now.”
No intention to defame Falana
Meanwhile, in his reaction to Falana, VeryDarkMan, through Deji Adeyanju, his legal representative, denied putting out a defamatory statement against him.
The activist clarified that releasing the voice recordings was to prompt a thorough investigation into Bobrisky’s allegations, not to defame Falana.
He stressed that he holds Falana in high esteem for his human rights activism in Nigeria and believes an investigation is necessary instead of pursuing defamation charges.
“Our client denies defaming Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, a renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria and globally recognised human rights activist, but asserts that he only published the said communication with a view to getting the relevant agencies, and even your client, to initiate a thorough investigation into the far-reaching allegations made by Mr. Okuneye in the said voice recording, especially as some element of the voice recording has been confirmed by Mr. Folarin Falana in his solicitor’s letter of September 25, 2024,” the letter reads in part.
“Our client holds Mr. Femi Falana, SAN in very high esteem and recognises his commitment to the protection of human rights and rule of law in Nigeria. It is in the light of the foregoing that our client believes that the appropriate line of action in the circumstance is an interagency investigation into the allegations contained in the voice recording, rather than pursuing a case of defamation.”
VeryDarkMan also disclosed that Falana is his go-to person when in trouble, adding that “he is on my emergency contact”.
He insisted that he only said he would be disappointed if Falana were involved in the allegations.
“I only reacted to the call Bobrisky made in which he made allegations that he alleged that Uncle Femi Falana and Falz collected N10 million. And what I said is I choose not to believe that Uncle Femi Falana is associated with that and if, I would be disappointed because of his position in society,” he said in an Instagram video.
“I had an option of cutting the video where he mentioned Falz, but I refused because I wanted a thorough investigation into the matter. I have another one to post. That is from a totally different person. The EFCC was named, and the comptroller general was named.
“If Bobrisky was lying, he should face the law for using somebody as big as uncle Femi Falana to do something like that. Uncle Femi Falana is my emergency contact if a big person with influence holds me.”
Falz also demanded a retraction from VeryDarkMan.
But VeryDarkMan argued that he did not defame the rapper. He also said he is ready to appear in court.
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