Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has apologised to soldiers, police officers, customs officials and immigration personnel over remarks he made during the Nigerian Bar Association’s 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Otse issued the apology in a video shared on Friday, saying he had reflected on his speech and realised that his comments were unfair to security personnel who were genuinely risking their lives to protect Nigerians.
The activist had attracted controversy during his appearance at the NBA conference after referring to the military, police, immigration and customs personnel as “unknown gunmen” while speaking about insecurity and alleged institutional failures in the country.
In his latest video, however, Otse acknowledged that the way he presented his argument created the impression that he was accusing all personnel within the security agencies of involvement in criminal activities.
He explained that his intention was to draw attention to alleged corruption, sabotage, information leaks and other forms of misconduct involving some individuals within the security agencies, rather than condemn the entire security establishment.
According to him, his remarks failed to properly distinguish between personnel accused of wrongdoing and those who are genuinely serving the country and putting their lives at risk.
Otse said he was particularly concerned about soldiers deployed to remote areas to combat Boko Haram and other security threats. He acknowledged that describing military personnel generally as unknown gunmen was unfair to officers who had made significant sacrifices while protecting Nigerians and defending the country's territorial integrity.
He also expressed concern that his comments could negatively affect the morale of soldiers and other security personnel who might come across his video while carrying out their duties.
The activist subsequently apologised to the Chief of Defence Staff and the leadership of the military, police, customs and immigration services. He also extended the apology to security personnel serving in difficult and dangerous environments, as well as families of officers who had lost their lives in the line of duty.
Otse maintained, however, that his concerns about alleged misconduct within the security agencies remained unchanged. He said his criticism was directed at individuals he described as bad elements within the security system and not at the agencies or their personnel as a whole.
He alleged that some officers within the security architecture were involved in corruption, sabotage and the leaking of sensitive information, adding that such conduct could undermine the efforts of personnel who were genuinely working to protect the country.
The activist said there were many good and patriotic officers across the security agencies and urged them not to become discouraged by his earlier comments.
He also noted that his interactions with some police officers had exposed him to challenges within the force and said he had previously shared information with law enforcement authorities concerning alleged criminal activities.
Otse's apology comes amid growing controversy over his appearance at the NBA's annual conference, where his participation and comments attracted criticism from some members of the legal profession.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, had criticised the defence of Otse's involvement in the conference and argued that specialised discussions at such an event should be handled by experienced professionals.
Otse later defended his invitation to the conference and explained the reasons behind his participation. He also responded to the backlash by appearing in a lawyer's wig and gown in a social media video, which further fuelled public discussion surrounding his appearance.
The latest development also follows a separate controversy involving allegations made by Otse against some police officers operating checkpoints.
The activist had alleged that certain officers allegedly provided information about wealthy travellers to kidnappers. The police challenged him to substantiate the claims, while Otse responded by daring the authorities to take legal action against him, insisting that he had evidence to support his allegations.
In his latest video, Otse sought to draw a distinction between his criticism of alleged misconduct and hostility towards the security agencies themselves.
He admitted that he had failed to communicate his position effectively during his NBA speech and acknowledged that his comments could have been interpreted as a general accusation against security personnel.
The activist urged Nigerians to support soldiers, police officers and other security personnel who are genuinely committed to protecting the country.
He also paid tribute to fallen security personnel and expressed regret to their families, stressing that the sacrifices made by those who died in the line of duty should not be undermined by his controversial remarks.
Despite the apology, Otse maintained his criticism of personnel allegedly involved in sabotage, corruption, arms-related activities and the leaking of information to terrorists.
He said his position remained that those accused of undermining security operations should be held accountable, while patriotic officers who continue to risk their lives should receive the support and encouragement of Nigerians.