Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has responded to criticism over his invitation to speak at the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
VeryDarkMan participated as a panellist at the 2026 NBA conference, where discussions centred on insecurity and the experiences of victims of violence.
Addressing those who questioned his presence at the event, the activist said he was not invited to teach lawyers about legal practice but to share his personal experiences with 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.
He argued that insecurity had become so widespread that even lawyers and judges were no longer insulated from its impact.
“This is not a topic of ‘may I, my lord’ because your lords are being kidnapped,” VeryDarkMan told participants during the session, which was titled “Unknown Known Gunmen.”
He referred to the reported abduction of a judge who was travelling from Sokoto and was allegedly kidnapped in Kebbi on July 26. According to him, the incident highlights the growing threat posed by insecurity to members of the legal profession.
VeryDarkMan also criticised the media for what he described as inadequate reporting 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.
Explaining his perspective, the activist said his views on insecurity were shaped by his experiences at scenes of violence.
“I was the first respondent at Yelwata. I was also the first respondent when some women were killed some time ago,” he said.
He further recalled witnessing the aftermath of several violent incidents and explosions, including an alleged Sallah Day bombing in Borno State and incidents linked to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and a post office.
“I have seen blood and seen people burnt alive,” VeryDarkMan said.
Speaking about the violence in Yelwata, he alleged that the attack was carried out as retaliation after a Fulani boy was killed.
“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.
The NBA Annual General Conference, which commenced on August 21 and is scheduled to run until August 28, has attracted lawyers and other stakeholders for discussions on legal, social and national issues.
VeryDarkMan maintained that his participation was aimed at bringing the perspective of someone who had personally encountered the consequences of insecurity to the conversation.
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