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VDM Protest - "Carry Yahaya Bello - Free VDM" Angry Nigerians Chant at EFCC Abuja Office
Abuja, Nigeria – May 5, 2025 – Protesters gathered at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) headquarters in Abuja on Monday, demanding the arrest of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello and the release of activist Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan.
Chanting “Carry Yahaya Bello and Free VeryDarkMan For Us,” the protesters expressed frustration over perceived selective justice.
Yahaya Bello faces EFCC charges of misappropriating over 80.2 billion naira in public funds, with allegations of money laundering alongside associates. In December 2024, he was granted a 500 million naira bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja, despite an earlier remand order, fueling public outrage over his continued absence from court.
VeryDarkMan, a vocal critic of corruption, was arrested on May 2, 2025, for alleged cyberstalking after addressing unauthorized bank deductions from his mother’s account. This marks his second arrest in over a year, following a 2024 detention for cyberbullying. Otse’s detentions have sparked debates over free speech, with many viewing him as a target for his activism.
The protest reflects broader discontent with Nigeria’s anti-corruption framework. The country has lost over $400 billion to corruption since 1960, per a 2012 estimate, and recent Transparency International reports highlight weak anti-corruption measures in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The EFCC has faced criticism for its handling of high-profile cases, with past protests at its Abuja office, including one in April 2024 over Yahaya Bello, ending in dispersals. As pressure mounts on the EFCC to balance its anti-corruption mandate with public trust, the agency has not commented on the protest.
The next court dates for Bello and Otse are awaited, with Nigerians demanding accountability and fairness in addressing both corruption and dissent.
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"Carry Yahaya Bello - free VDM" angry Nigerians chant at EFCC office.#Verydarkblackman #VDM pic.twitter.com/DTnZ8MsT5o
— labalingo (@labalingo) May 5, 2025
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