Social media activist and commentator, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has responded to criticism over his invitation to speak at the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference.
VeryDarkMan spoke on Tuesday as a panellist at the NBA’s 2026 Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, addressing issues surrounding insecurity and the experiences of victims of violence.
The conference, which is being held from August 21 to 28, has drawn lawyers and other prominent figures for discussions on Nigeria’s legal system and broader national issues.
Addressing his critics during the conference, VDM said he was not invited to teach law but to contribute from his personal experiences of witnessing violence and insecurity.
“There has been a lot of debate about why I was invited to this NBA conference. I’m not here to teach you people law; I’m here to share experience,” he said.
VeryDarkMan said those questioning his invitation may not have fully understood the subject of the session, which he referred to as “Unknown Known Gunmen.”
According to him, the discussion was not simply about courtroom arguments because insecurity has increasingly affected members of the legal profession, including judges.
“This is not a topic of ‘may I, my lord’ because your lords are being kidnapped,” he said.
VDM cited the reported abduction of a judge travelling from Sokoto, whom he said was kidnapped in Kebbi on July 26 and remained in captivity for about a week before being released.
He also criticised the media for what he described as inadequate coverage of violent attacks and their aftermath.
“When the killings happened, our media are now lazy and they do not really cover these killings and the results of these unknown gunmen,” he said.
The activist said his views on insecurity were shaped by what he described as firsthand experiences at several scenes of violence.
“I was the first respondent at Yelwata. I was also the first respondent when some women were killed some time ago,” the social media activist said.
He recalled witnessing the aftermath of attacks and explosions, including what he described as a Sallah Day bombing in Borno, as well as incidents involving the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and a post office.
“I have seen blood and seen people burnt alive,” he said.
Speaking specifically about the Yelwata incident, VDM said the violence was a retaliatory attack following the killing of a Fulani boy.
“In Yelwata, it was Fulani that attacked. It was a retaliation because a Fulani boy was killed and these guys came back to attack,” he said.
VDM maintained that his invitation to the NBA conference gave him an opportunity to bring experiences from outside the courtroom into a discussion about insecurity, rather than attempting to lecture lawyers on legal matters.
