Martins Otse, widely known as social media activist VeryDarkMan, has been released from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after five days of contentious detention. His release, which took place on Wednesday, was confirmed by several prominent figures, notably former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, who broke the news via his X account.

“Thanks to the unrelenting efforts of all, @thatverydarkman has been released from unjust detention at the @officialEFCC. He is now with his ebullient lawyer, @adeyanjudeji,” Sowore tweeted, expressing gratitude to those who rallied support for the activist.

Deji Adeyanju, VeryDarkMan's lawyer, corroborated the announcement through a post on X, where he expressed his appreciation for the outpouring of support from the public and several high-profile individuals. “VDM released to us on bail,” he wrote, adding, “Special thanks to @DAPLawFirm, especially the head of our firm @Marvin_Omorogbe. Thank you Nigerians for speaking up for him. Thank you, Egbon @YeleSowore. Thank you, HE Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, Davido, opposition lawmakers, etc.”

Adeyanju continued to acknowledge the EFCC officials for their responsiveness throughout the ordeal, thanking the chairman of the commission for listening to his concerns. “The struggle continues,” he concluded, emphasizing the ongoing fight for justice and accountability.

Prior to the announcement of his release, Adeyanju had voiced his frustrations regarding the EFCC's bail process, referring to it as “social media bail.” This characterization arose from the fact that official bail documents were not provided, despite the commission's announcement that his client had received administrative bail. “We have made several repeated demands in this regard since yesterday, when we were informed about the decision to grant bail,” he stated.

The EFCC had previously confirmed the granting of bail to VeryDarkMan through a statement from its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale. However, despite the bail order, the activist remained in custody pending the fulfillment of the specified bail conditions.

VeryDarkMan's arrest came amid allegations of serious financial crimes, following his alleged failure to respond to multiple invitations from the commission. The protests and calls for his release, particularly on social media, underscored the significant public attention and concern over the handling of the case and the implications it has for activism in Nigeria.

As the narrative unfolds, many are watching closely to see how this situation will influence the ongoing discourse surrounding civil rights and freedom of expression in the face of government scrutiny.