By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
Popular and controversial social media commentator, Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), was on Thursday re-arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on a fresh five-count charge bordering on cyberbullying and defamation.
The Federal Government, through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, filed the charges accusing the activist of using his Instagram platform to disseminate allegedly offensive content against top Nigerian entertainers including Iyabo Ojo, Tonto Dikeh, and music producer Samklef.
VDM, who appeared before Justice Musa Liman, pleaded not guilty to all charges. The case was transferred to Justice Liman following the reassignment of the former trial judge, Justice Mobolaji Olajuwon.
The charges, which fall under Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, claim that Otse’s social media posts between October 2023 and March 2024 were calculated to insult, intimidate, and damage reputations.
In one of the counts, the prosecution alleges that on October 13, 2023, VDM uploaded a video targeting Samklef with what they described as threatening and harassing statements. Another charge claims he defamed Iyabo Ojo by suggesting she had an improper relationship with her daughter, calling the content “obscene and grossly offensive.”
He is also accused of falsely claiming, in a January 2024 post, that Tonto Dikeh misappropriated funds raised in memory of the late singer Mohbad and was operating a controversial gossip blog.
The final count revolves around a video posted in March 2024 where VDM allegedly mocked senior government officials using what the prosecution called “insulting and annoying” language.
His lawyer, human rights activist Deji Adeyanju, asked the court to retain the earlier bail conditions granted by the previous judge. The prosecution did not object, and Justice Liman upheld the terms, which include a ₦10 million bond and two sureties, one of whom must be a senior federal civil servant or a staff of a reputable organization.
Speaking after the session, Adeyanju insisted the charges are an attempt to silence his client, who he described as a fearless critic. “Martins is only expressing himself as guaranteed by the Constitution. This trial is a test of how far freedom of speech can go in Nigeria,” he said.
The case has drawn mixed reactions online, with some Nigerians backing VDM’s bold commentaries, while others say he often crosses the line into defamation and personal attacks.
Justice Liman adjourned the matter to July 24, 2025, for the commencement of the full hearing.