Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has apologised to members of Nigeria’s security agencies 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 risk their lives to protect Nigerians.
During his appearance at the NBA conference, the activist had referred to the military, police, immigration and customs personnel as “unknown gunmen” while discussing insecurity in Nigeria.
However, in his latest video, Otse said he did not intend to portray every officer within the agencies as being involved in criminal activities.
He explained that his original argument was directed at what he described as “bad eggs” within the security forces, particularly personnel he alleged were involved in corruption, information leaks and sabotage.
Otse acknowledged that his choice of words made his comments appear to be a general accusation against the security agencies.
He said he was particularly sorry to soldiers deployed to remote areas to fight Boko Haram and other security threats, arguing that it was unfair to describe such personnel as “unknown gunmen” when many had sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
The activist subsequently apologised to the Chief of Defence Staff and asked that his message be extended to soldiers serving in dangerous areas.
He also apologised to members of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service and Nigeria Immigration Service, as well as families of security personnel who have died protecting the country.
Otse said he understood that relatives of fallen officers could have been particularly hurt by his remarks because their loved ones had served and died in the country’s defence.
Despite the apology, he maintained his criticism of personnel whom he alleged were involved in wrongdoing within the security agencies.
According to him, corruption and alleged acts of sabotage by some officers should be addressed by the leadership of the various security institutions.
He stressed, however, that there were many dedicated and honest personnel within the agencies and that his comments should not be interpreted as an attack on all security officers.
Otse also said he became concerned that his earlier remarks could negatively affect the morale of soldiers serving in conflict zones.
He gave the example of a soldier watching his video while deployed in the bush and potentially feeling discouraged after hearing himself and other soldiers described as “unknown gunmen.”
The activist said his interactions with some police officers had also exposed him to challenges within the force. He claimed that he sometimes shared information with police personnel to help them respond to security situations.
His apology comes amid continued controversy surrounding his appearance at the NBA conference.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana had criticised the decision to have Otse participate in the event and argued that specialised discussions should be handled by experienced speakers.
Otse subsequently defended his invitation, explaining why he was included among the speakers, before appearing in a lawyer’s wig and gown in a video in which he mocked some of the criticism directed at him.
The controversy also followed separate allegations made by the activist concerning police officers allegedly sharing information about wealthy travellers with kidnappers at checkpoints.
Police authorities challenged Otse to provide evidence supporting the allegations, while he responded by daring the authorities to take legal action against him, saying he would present his evidence in court.
In his latest video, Otse reiterated that his criticism was aimed at alleged misconduct rather than the security institutions as a whole.
He said he had failed to communicate his point properly during the NBA conference and acknowledged that his wording had created the impression that he was accusing everyone within the agencies.
While extending his apology to serving and fallen security personnel, Otse urged Nigerians to continue supporting officers genuinely working to protect the country.
He nevertheless maintained his warning against personnel whom he accused of sabotaging operations and contributing to the deaths of fellow officers, saying those involved should expect consequences.