Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described the arrest and continued detention of social media activist, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as another sign of growing authoritarianism of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
VeryDarkMan who was arrested over the weekend, according the EFCC, was in connection with allegations of cyberstalking following several petitions from individuals.
Atiku in a statement posted on X on Monday, accused Tinubu government of using security agencies to suppress dissent and intimidate critics of the administration.
He noted that the inability of the anti-corruption agency to file formal charges against the activist was “a flagrant violation of his constitutional rights and a chilling reminder of the growing authoritarianism under this government.”
Atiku stated that the incident was a pattern of “relentless assault on the fundamental freedoms of Nigerians, particularly those who dare to speak truth to power or align with the political opposition.”
The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) further accused the Tinubu government of applying double standards in its handling of corruption allegations, noting that while opposition figures and critics were hounded, loyalists of the ruling party with serious allegations against them continue to enjoy immunity.
Said he, “While security agencies are quick to target dissenters and critics, often in complete disregard of due process, political loyalists with credible allegations of corruption walk free, trading sycophancy for immunity.”
Atiku warned against normalising what he described as “state-sponsored repression,” adding, “We must not allow state-sponsored repression to become the defining character of our democracy.”
He added that, “The Tinubu administration’s systematic crackdown on opposition voices is nothing short of disgraceful.
“It is an affront to democratic norms and must be fiercely condemned and resisted.”
