By Luminous Jannamike, ABUJA

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the arrest and continued detention of social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, VDM, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

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He described the incident as a blatant abuse of power by the current administration, highlighting a troubling trend of political repression in Nigeria.

In a statement on Monday, Abubakar emphasised that VDM’s detention without formal charges constitutes a violation of constitutional rights and serves as a chilling reminder of the growing authoritarianism under the present government.

“This latest episode is part of a disturbing pattern: the Tinubu regime’s relentless assault on the fundamental freedoms of Nigerians,” he stated.

Atiku further criticised the government’s actions, warning that “we must not allow state-sponsored repression to become the defining character of our democracy.”

He argued that such moves amount to a systematic crackdown on dissenting voices, particularly those who challenge the ruling regime.

The former Vice President also highlighted the glaring disparity in the treatment of political loyalists, who often escape scrutiny despite facing credible allegations of corruption.

“While security agencies are swift to target dissenters and critics, frequently disregarding due process, political loyalists with serious corruption allegations walk free,” he stated.

Atiku called on Nigerians to resist what he termed ‘state-sponsored repression,’ warning that it poses a grave threat to the very foundations of democracy in the country.

Vanguard News