A Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja has issued an arrest warrant for Nigerian social media critic Vincent Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM). The warrant was granted due to his ongoing legal dispute with gospel singer Mercy Chinwo, who has accused him of defamation.
Mercy Chinwo had previously filed a ₦1.1 billion lawsuit against VDM, seeking damages and a public retraction of his statements. The controversy began after VDM made online allegations regarding Chinwo’s dispute with her former manager, EeZee Tee.
On Thursday, March 13, 2025, Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna approved the arrest order after VDM failed to appear in court on March 5, despite receiving a formal summons. According to The Cable, VDM’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, requested leniency, assuring the court that his client would be present for future hearings. However, the judge denied the request.
VDM had previously accused Mercy Chinwo of engaging in questionable actions in her legal battle against EeZee Tee. He also suggested that the presiding judge should be replaced, alleging favoritism due to admiration for the gospel singer. Additionally, he claimed that an EFCC official involved in the case had ties to Chinwo’s husband.
The arrest warrant has ignited public debate, with some defending VDM’s statements as free speech, while others argue that his comments crossed into defamation.
