Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has issued a VDM military apology and apologised to the Nigerian military after admitting that he may have generalised his earlier allegations about security personnel and insecurity in the country.
In a video from the Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, VDM offered the apology after military representatives challenged him over comments he made during a panel discussion on Nigeria’s security challenges.
VDM admits he may have generalised
Before responding to another question during the session, the activist paused to address the controversy generated by his earlier remarks.
“Before I answer the question, I would like to apologise to the Nigerian military. Maybe I generalised everything,” he said.
VDM maintained that his intention had been misunderstood but repeatedly apologised for how his comments may have been received.
“I apologise if you took it out of context. But I’m sorry in between. I’m really, really sorry. Very, very sorry,” he added.
He also acknowledged the role of military personnel in protecting the country.
“I apologise to the military guys too. They are our heroes. We know their sacrifices,” VDM said.
Military challenged sweeping allegations
The apology followed a tense exchange after a military representative cautioned VDM against making broad allegations about members of the Armed Forces without presenting evidence.
During his earlier contribution, VDM had argued that there were no truly “unknown gunmen” operating across the country and made sweeping allegations involving personnel of the military, police, immigration and customs.
He also alleged that some security personnel could be supplying kidnappers with information about motorists travelling along major highways.
The claims were not accompanied by evidence during the conference.
A military representative subsequently pushed back, arguing that misconduct by some individuals could not justify condemning an entire institution.
The representative also challenged VDM to provide evidence for serious allegations rather than generalising about personnel serving across the country.
‘They are our heroes’
In his apology, VDM appeared to soften his position towards the Armed Forces while maintaining that his broader concerns about insecurity remained.
He stressed that his remarks were not intended to dismiss the sacrifices of soldiers fighting terrorism, banditry and other violent groups.
“They are our heroes. We know their sacrifices,” he said.
The activist then returned to the conference discussion after saying he hoped the military would not interpret his earlier remarks negatively.
VDM had earlier explained that he attended the NBA conference to share his experiences from communities affected by insecurity rather than to lecture lawyers on legal issues.
His appearance at the conference has generated significant debate online, both over his allegations against security agencies and the NBA’s decision to include the social media activist on the panel.
The apology now adds another dimension to the controversy, with VDM acknowledging that his initial comments may have gone too far in extending allegations to the Nigerian military as a whole.
