Abuja, Nigeria – Social media influencer Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has issued a public apology to human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, over recent allegations suggesting the senior lawyer’s involvement in a bribery scandal related to popular crossdresser Idris Okuneye, better known as Bobrisky.
Appearing before the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Financial Crimes and Reformatory Institutions on Monday, VeryDarkMan clarified his position, expressing regret over derogatory comments he made that implicated Falana. He stated that he never believed the senior lawyer was part of the alleged bribery, which was also linked to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Correctional Service.
“Apparently now, some people are taking advantage of what is going on to target Femi Falana,” VeryDarkMan said during his testimony. “Here I apologise. It’s so sad that his name was inside that audio; I couldn’t believe it myself. That is the part that irritated me the most, which is why I said I refuse to believe that he is a party to something like that.”
The controversy erupted after VeryDarkMan shared an audio clip featuring Bobrisky, where the crossdresser allegedly claimed to have bribed EFCC officials with ₦15 million to drop money laundering charges against her. In the same recording, Bobrisky purportedly said that her “godfather,” alongside the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa, ensured that she served a six-month prison sentence in a private apartment instead of a correctional facility.
VeryDarkMan, responding to the audio, had previously called for a full investigation into the allegations, stating he had no intention of defaming Falana, despite the claims linking the senior lawyer to Bobrisky’s case. He also alleged that Falana had sought a presidential pardon for Bobrisky in exchange for ₦10 million.
However, in a letter dated September 25, 2024, from his legal representatives at Falana & Falana’s Chambers, signed by Taiwo E. Olawanle, Falana denied all the allegations, insisting that he never had any discussions with Bobrisky regarding a pardon or any other matters.
The apology and clarification from VeryDarkMan come as the House Committee continues its inquiry into the bribery allegations surrounding Bobrisky’s case, with calls for a thorough investigation into the involvement of various officials named in the recording.