Afrobeat superstar Davido, celebrity bar man, Cubana Chief Priest, and other Nigerians have condemned the arrest of social media influencer and activist, Martins Otse (aka VeryDarkMan,VDM).

The celebrities and fans of VDM said his arrest was carried out like an “abduction”, which left many Nigerians worried, and therefore demand his release.

VDM was reportedly arrested on Friday at a bank branch in the Wuse area of Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to media reports, EFCC has secured a court order to remand him pending the conclusion of an investigation into alleged cybercrime offences.

However, his arrest has sparked widespread outrage on social media, with the hashtag #FreeVDM, trending across different platforms.

According to the celebrities and fans, it is impossible to distinguish between legitimate arrest and unlawful abduction of the embattled socialite.

In a post on X, Davido extolled VDM’s positive impact on the lives of common Nigerians and urged relevant authorities to release him.

He wrote: “Outside all the noise it’s good to see that the good one does actually impacts lives and Pple actually appreciate! “The support I’m seeing for VDM everywhere is encouraging… makes one want to do more for the masses FREE MY GUY.”

Cubana Chief Priest, in a post on his Instagram page, pleaded with the police to free the social media influencer right away, stressing that he should not be unfairly detained.

“We Just Dey Fake Happiness @verydarkblackman Our Man Is Missing. We Are Hopeful He Regains Freedom Today Or A Press Release From The People That Abducted Him. “Joy No Dey The Voice Of The Voiceless Is Missing, The Hope Of The Hopeless Is Nowhere To Be Found. Peace Dey Cry, Street Dey Call.

Fans, especially social media follower, of VDM have also expressed worries over the development. @ ibrahimazeez21:“Exactly what Nigeria needs to get better , we need the voices of strong men like you chief priest , your always loved , thank you ….

CP no small” @orife_orife:“Now the world will see why you and David deserve all the love .where them way dey claim top spot dey . thank you eze-mmuo”