The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed the arrest of Martins Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, in connection with serious allegations of financial wrongdoing.
This comes after Otse repeatedly ignored invitations from the Commission to appear for questioning.
The EFCC, in a statement issued on Tuesday, noted that the arrest followed a series of petitions about Otse’s involvement in various alleged financial crimes.
According to the anti-graft agency, Otse’s failure to respond to several official invitations prompted the need for further action. Despite multiple attempts to reach him through his known addresses and communication channels, Otse did not comply with the requests, leading to his eventual arrest.
“The EFCC should be allowed to do its job without fear or favour,” the statement read, urging the public to refrain from speculating about the motives behind the arrest. The Commission reassured Nigerians that it would carry out its duties according to the law, and once investigations are completed, appropriate charges would be filed.
In its statement, the EFCC emphasized that Otse’s arrest was not in retaliation for his previous comments or criticisms of the agency’s operations.
It noted that although Otse had made “several unguarded attacks” against the EFCC, these had no bearing on the decision to detain him. The statement made clear that the investigation would proceed in line with due process, without any undue influence or bias.
“The relevant law enforcement agency will be allowed to look into them,” the EFCC added, referring to Otse’s past remarks against the organization.
The Commission also pointed out that it had acted within legal boundaries in arresting Otse, obtaining the necessary remand order to keep him in custody. “The EFCC has a lawful right to hold Otse in custody like any other suspect being investigated by the Commission,” it stated, further clarifying that Otse’s detention was fully authorized by the appropriate legal authorities.
Additionally, the EFCC confirmed that Otse had been granted administrative bail and would be released once the necessary bail conditions were met. The Commission assured the public that it would continue with its investigation to ensure that all relevant facts are brought to light.
