Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has apologised to members of Nigeria’s security agencies over controversial comments he made at the Nigerian Bar Association’s 66th Annual General Conference.
VDM issued the apology in a video shared on Friday, September 4, 2026, after reflecting on remarks he made during a panel discussion on insecurity at the conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
During the session, Otse had described personnel of the military, police, immigration and customs services as “unknown gunmen” while discussing the security challenges facing the country.
He later acknowledged that the statement was a generalisation and could have been unfair to security personnel who risk their lives to protect Nigerians.
VDM said his intention was to draw attention to what he described as “bad eggs” within the security system whom he alleged were involved in corruption, sabotage and leaking information, rather than accuse every member of the security agencies.
He particularly apologised to soldiers serving in dangerous locations and fighting insurgents, saying it was unfair to describe them as “unknown gunmen” when many had sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
“That speech was not fair, especially to the soldiers that are in the bushes fighting Boko Haram to protect our lands, to protect our lives, and to protect our families,” he said.
The activist also directed an apology to the Chief of Defence Staff, asking that it be conveyed to troops serving in difficult and dangerous conditions.
He extended the apology to police officers, immigration and customs personnel, as well as families of security operatives who have died while serving the country.
VDM said he understood that his comments could have hurt families whose loved ones had made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
At the same time, he maintained his concerns about alleged misconduct within the security agencies, insisting that his criticism was aimed at individuals he described as corrupt officers and saboteurs rather than the institutions as a whole.
His apology follows criticism generated by his appearance at the NBA conference and his remarks concerning the role of security agencies in Nigeria’s insecurity crisis.
The latest development has sparked mixed reactions, with some Nigerians praising the activist for acknowledging that his comments were too broad, while others have questioned the timing and sincerity of the apology.
