Social media personality Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has explained his presence at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
VDM dismissed questions over why he was invited to an event attended by senior lawyers, politicians and other prominent figures, saying his participation was to share his experiences on insecurity in Nigeria.
Speaking during a session at the conference, VDM said he was not invited to teach lawyers about the law but to contribute to discussions based on his experiences covering insecurity and violence across the country.
“First things first, if I can answer your question. There have been a lot of debates as to why I was invited again,” he said.
He said some people had questioned his invitation because of his background and public engagements, but insisted that his participation was connected to the subject under discussion.
“You have many lawyers defending you, against you. I’m part of you. You should be on my side,” VDM said.
“So, there have been a lot of debates as to why VeryDarkMan is invited. I am not here to teach you the law. I am here to share an experience.”
According to him, those questioning his invitation may not have paid sufficient attention to the topic of the session, which focused on the security challenges confronting Nigerians.
“I’m pretty sure a lot of you who are debating did not look at the topic,” he said.
VDM said the discussion was not about whether he needed legal representation but about the wider insecurity affecting Nigerians and their families.
“This is not the topic of whether I need my lawyer. Because a lot of your loved ones are being kidnapped,” he said.
He cited the reported abduction of a judge travelling from Sokoto as an example of the insecurity affecting Nigerians, saying the judge was eventually released after about a week in captivity.
“So, this is not whether I need my lawyer, because your loved ones are being kidnapped. On the 26th of July, a judge was coming from Sokoto, and he was kidnapped. And then they released him after one week,” he said.
VDM argued that his personal experiences in communities affected by violence made him relevant to the discussion.
He said he had visited several locations where killings, bomb attacks and other violent incidents occurred and had witnessed the impact of insecurity on victims.
“So, if we don’t discuss this topic, and if I don’t share my experience, it will not be me needing my lawyer. It will be you joining your personal lord and saviour,” he said.
He also spoke about his coverage of the Yelewata incident, claiming he was among the first media personalities to visit the community following the killings.
According to him, conventional media organisations had become increasingly reluctant to cover some insecurity-related incidents, creating a gap that independent journalists and social media personalities had attempted to fill.
“Talking about Yelewata, I was the first respondent there. When the killing happened, our conventional media, like AIT, NTA and the rest, have become lazy, and they have become really scared,” he said.
“So, they don’t really cover what happens, the result of this insecurity, or rather, the result of these known and unknown gunmen. So, that’s why people like us will go there. And like I said, that is why I’m here.”
VDM said he had also visited other communities affected by violence, including areas in Plateau and Borno states, where he said he witnessed the consequences of attacks on residents.
“I’ve seen people who have been affected by these known and unknown gunmen. I’ve seen blood. I’ve seen people burnt alive,” he said.
He subsequently attributed the Yelewata attack to Fulani assailants, alleging that the incident was carried out in retaliation for the killing of a Fulani man and his cow.
“Now, what happened in Yelewata is straightforward. I’ll be straightforward. It was the Fulanis that attacked the people in Yelewata,” he said.
“Why? It was a retaliation for the Yelewata people. I think they killed the Fulani boy and his cow, and these people came back.”
The NBA conference also featured prominent political figures, including former Anambra State Governor and Nigerian Democratic Congress presidential candidate Peter Obi.
Obi, while speaking during a session on Monday, questioned Nigerians’ knowledge of the constitutional requirements for occupying the offices of president and governor.
“What is our qualification to be president? None of you know. What is qualification to be president of Nigeria or governor? Nobody knows,” Obi said.
He was, however, reminded during the discussion that the requirements for contesting the offices are contained in the Nigerian Constitution.
The conference, themed “Politics, People, and Nigeria’s Future: Forget the Slogans,” provided a platform for discussions on democracy, governance, justice, leadership and Nigeria’s political direction ahead of the 2027 general election.
The gathering also featured a heated exchange between former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore.
Amaechi, who represented African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar at the conference, was discussing his record as governor of Rivers State when Sowore interrupted him.
Amaechi responded by challenging Sowore to examine his record in the state.
“Where are Rivers lawyers, let them take Sowore around and show him what I did as a former Governor. Moreover, Sowore when politicians are talking, close your mouth,” Amaechi said.
Amaechi governed Rivers State from 2007 to 2015 and later served as Minister of Transportation under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
