Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Social media activist and commentator Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has responded forcefully to critics questioning his invitation to speak at the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. VDM, who spoke on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, as a panellist at the conference, dismissed suggestions that he was out of place among legal professionals, insisting that his role was not to lecture lawyers on legal matters but to share his firsthand experiences with insecurity and violence across Nigeria.
The conference, which runs from August 21 to 28, has drawn lawyers and other prominent figures for discussions on Nigeria's legal system and broader national issues. However, VDM's presence on the panel sparked a wave of criticism, with some questioning the relevance of a social media personality at a gathering of legal minds. Addressing the controversy head-on during his session, VDM made it clear that he was not there to teach law. "There has been a lot of debate about why I was invited to this NBA conference. I'm not here to teach you people law; I'm here to share experience," he said, according to multiple reports.
VDM argued that those questioning his invitation may not have fully understood the subject of the session, which he described as "Unknown Known Gunmen." He stressed that insecurity is no longer a topic confined to courtroom arguments because judges and other members of the legal profession have themselves become victims. "This is not a topic of 'may I, my lord' because your lords are being kidnapped," he declared, citing the reported abduction of a judge travelling from Sokoto who was kidnapped in Kebbi on July 26 and held for about a week before being released.
The activist also took aim at the Nigerian media, accusing them of failing to provide adequate coverage of violent attacks and their aftermath. "When the killings happened, our media are now lazy and they do not really cover these killings and the results of these unknown gunmen," he said. VDM maintained that his views on insecurity were shaped by what he described as firsthand encounters with victims and scenes of violence across the country. "I was the first respondent at Yelwata. I was also the first respondent when some women were killed some time ago," he recalled, adding that he had witnessed the aftermath of attacks and explosions, including a Sallah Day bombing in Borno and incidents involving the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
Speaking specifically about the Yelwata incident in Benue State, VDM claimed the violence was a retaliatory attack following the killing of a Fulani boy. "In Yelwata, it was Fulani that attacked. It was a retaliation because a Fulani boy was killed and these guys came back to attack," he said, presenting his account of the motive as his personal claim. Throughout his address, VDM insisted that his appearance at the NBA conference allowed him to bring experiences from outside the courtroom into the national conversation on insecurity, rather than attempting to lecture lawyers on legal matters. His remarks have since generated intense debate on social media, with supporters hailing his courage and critics questioning the appropriateness of his invitation.
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