“Silencing the Truth”: Sowore Slams EFCC Over VeryDarkMan Arrest, Alleges Abuse of Power and Corruption Cover-Up

Abuja, Nigeria – Human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of using its power to silence outspoken social media critic, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).

In a strongly worded statement released via his official X (formerly Twitter) account, Sowore described VDM’s arrest and continued detention as “unlawful” and part of a broader plot to intimidate critics of the anti-graft agency.

“It has been established that the @officialEFCC unlawfully arrested and detained Martins Vincent Otse aka VDM, as a means to silence him for accusing the agency and its leaders of corruption and malfeasance,” Sowore wrote.

The popular activist was arrested last Friday in Wuse, Abuja, allegedly after visiting a GTBank branch with his mother to resolve complaints about suspicious debits. The arrest, carried out by a joint force including EFCC operatives, DSS, and Nigeria Police, triggered public outrage and a trending online campaign under the hashtag #FreeVDM.

Sowore claimed the arrest was a deliberate tactic to suppress dissent, especially in light of VDM’s bold accusations against the EFCC and its leadership in recent weeks.

“The @officialEFCC is currently exploring legal avenues to charge him in court, possibly tomorrow, in an attempt to legitimize their actions,” he added.

He further questioned the legality of the EFCC’s actions, arguing that the agency lacks jurisdiction over cases involving defamation, libel, or cybercrime, which are civil, not criminal matters under Nigerian law.

“It is essential to state unequivocally that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission @officialEFCC does not possess the authority to prosecute individuals for criminal defamation, criminal libel, or cybercrime,” Sowore said, adding that “the EFCC must release VDM immediately.”

The EFCC has yet to issue an official statement on the specific allegations or the basis of VDM’s detention. Meanwhile, human rights groups and civil liberty advocates have joined the chorus of voices calling for due process, transparency, and the activist’s unconditional release.

As pressure mounts, questions continue to swirl about whether the EFCC’s actions are a genuine pursuit of justice or a weaponization of law enforcement against dissenters.

Babcock University Blasts Missing Student Claims, Threatens Legal Action Against Parent Over “Defamatory” Allegations

Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State – The management of Babcock University has fired back at viral claims made by a parent, Mrs. Fijabi Omotayo, over the alleged disappearance of her son, Oladipupo Siwajuola, a student of the institution, describing her statements as “sensational, misleading, and defamatory.”

In a strongly worded statement issued Monday by the university’s Director of Communication and Public Relations, Dr. Joshua Suleiman, the institution accused Mrs. Fijabi of tarnishing its image with “unfounded” allegations that falsely suggested negligence on the part of the university.

“Contrary to public assertions, the student in question left the university campus unlawfully, without following established protocols or obtaining proper clearance from the university authorities,” the statement read.

According to the school, Siwajuola, who is enrolled in the Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board (JUPEB) programme, was discovered to have exited the campus without authorization and was later reportedly found in Akute, a community in Ifo Local Government Area, where he once attended secondary school.

The controversy erupted over the weekend after Mrs. Fijabi went live on Facebook, emotionally appealing to the public to help locate her son, whom she claimed had been missing since April 27. In a tearful plea, she accused the school of negligence and secrecy.

“My son is not a piece of furniture. It’s been over 72 hours since I last spoke with him,” she said in one of several viral posts that stirred public concern.

However, Babcock has pushed back hard, revealing that the student had been under observation by roommates for what they described as “suspicious behavior,” including the use of local sponge and black soap—items which allegedly violated campus policies against fetish or questionable substances.

The university added that Mrs. Fijabi later admitted she had given her son the materials for treating skin conditions using a herbal mix of lemon, turmeric, and neem leaves—an explanation the institution said was viewed with suspicion by fellow students.

Babcock further accused the mother of attempting to obstruct internal monitoring by allegedly urging Siwajuola’s roommates via WhatsApp not to report his absence to authorities. The university claims it has chat evidence to support this.

“We believe this may have been a cover for her son’s misdemeanours,” the statement said, as the school confirmed it had alerted the police and referred the case to its Student Disciplinary Committee for further investigation.

The school did not stop there. It is now considering legal action against Mrs. Fijabi for what it called a coordinated smear campaign aimed at discrediting the institution.

“We reserve the right to seek redress under the law for any reputational damage caused by malicious and unfounded statements made against the university,” the statement warned.

While Mrs. Fijabi has since confirmed that her son has been found, she offered no details on how he was located, leaving questions unanswered. Her earlier claims, however, continue to stir debate online, with many calling for transparency from both sides.

As the matter unfolds, Babcock University maintains that it remains committed to character development and institutional discipline, while urging parents to respect established procedures and refrain from misrepresenting issues in the public space.

Gabonese President Honours Tony Elumelu with National Award for Championing African Development.

The President of the Republic of Gabon, His Excellency, General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, has conferred the nation’s honours – the Commander in the National Order of Gabonese Merit – on the Group Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mr. Tony Elumelu.

The distinguished award recognises Elumelu’s enduring contribution to Africa’s economic development, particularly his impact on youth entrepreneurship and infrastructure growth in Gabon and across the continent.

Speaking at the presidential palace while presenting the recognition in Libreville on Monday, Nguema, who was on Saturday sworn in as the newly elected President of the oil-rich country, praised Elumelu’s commitment to inclusive and sustainable development in Africa, adding that ‘Tony Elumelu is not only a visionary entrepreneur but also a committed friend of our nation Gabon. Through his Foundation and the UBA Group, he has consistently shown that investing in Africa is not just good business – it is the key to our shared future. Today, we honour a man whose actions continue to empower young Africans and inspire nations.”

While acknowledging the recognition, Elumelu, who has made several high-level visits to Gabon in recent months, expressed deep gratitude for the recognition and reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the country’s development agenda:

“I am truly humbled by this honour. It is a reflection not just of my personal journey, but of a shared belief – that African-led solutions, African entrepreneurs, and African institutions will shape the future of this continent. Gabon holds enormous potential, and I am proud that the Tony Elumelu Foundation and UBA Group can play a role in unlocking it,” Elumelu said.

“This is more than a medal – it is a reminder of what we can achieve together as Africans,” Elumelu stated adding that, “At UBA and the Tony Elumelu Foundation, we remain committed to building bridges, not just between nations, but between ambition and opportunity.”

The recognition comes at a crucial time for Gabon, as the country accelerates its economic recovery and prioritises inclusive growth under the new leadership.

Elumelu’s engagement focuses on two key pillars of Infrastructure financing which is essential for long-term economic transformation and Youth entrepreneurship, championed through the Tony Elumelu Foundation, which offers training, mentorship, and $5,000 in non-refundable seed capital to young Gabonese and African entrepreneurs each year.

The award also highlights the strengthening of financial partnership between Gabon and the UBA, which has a strong presence across the continent and is a key driver of financial inclusion and development.

Elumelu is the Founder and Chairman of Heirs Holdings, his family owned investment company committed to improving lives and transforming Africa, through long-term investments in strategic sectors of the African economy, including financial services, hospitality, power, energy, technology and healthcare.

He is the Chairman of pan-African financial services group, the United Bank for Africa (UBA), which operates in 20 countries across Africa, the United Kingdom, France, the UAE and is the only African bank with a commercial deposit taking presence in the United States. UBA provides corporate, commercial, SME and consumer banking services to more than 35 million customers globally. He also chairs Nigeria’s largest quoted conglomerate, Transcorp whose subsidiaries include Transcorp Power, one of the leading producers of electricity in Nigeria and Transcorp Hotels Plc, Nigeria’s foremost hospitality brand.

Tony is the most prominent champion of entrepreneurship in Africa. In 2010, he created The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), the leading philanthropy, empowering a new generation of African entrepreneurs, catalysing economic growth, driving poverty eradication and driving job creation across all 54 African countries. Since inception, the Foundation’s flagship programme has identified and catalysed 18,500 entrepreneurs and created a digital ecosystem of over one million Africans, as part of a ten-year US$100m commitment to fund, mentor and train young Africans.

Tony’s businesses and the Foundation are inspired by his economic philosophy of Africapitalism, which positions the private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the African continent.

In 2020, in recognition of his business leadership and economic empowerment of young African entrepreneurs, Tony was named in the TIME100 Most Influential People in the World, and recognised with Belgium’s oldest royal order.