NBA controversy: VDM apologises to security agencies over ‘unknown gunmen’ remarks

Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has apologised to Nigerian soldiers, police officers, customs and immigration personnel over controversial remarks he made at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

VDM issued the apology in a video released on Friday, admitting that his description of the military, police, immigration and customs personnel as “unknown gunmen” was unfair to security personnel who are risking their lives to protect Nigerians.

The activist made the controversial remarks during a panel session at the NBA conference, where he was invited to speak on Nigeria’s insecurity and related issues.

During the discussion, VDM criticised the country’s security architecture and questioned why perpetrators of kidnappings, killings and other violent crimes were frequently described as “unknown gunmen”.

He also alleged that some security personnel manning checkpoints could identify wealthy travellers and allegedly pass information about them to kidnappers. The claim attracted considerable attention and further intensified debate over the role of security agencies in tackling Nigeria’s insecurity.

However, in his latest video, VDM said he had reflected on his remarks and realised that the manner in which he delivered his criticism could be interpreted as a blanket accusation against the entire security establishment.

“I don’t think I was fair to a lot of people, particularly the speech where I said that the military are the unknown gunmen, the police are the unknown gunmen, you know, the immigration, the customs,” he said.

VDM maintained that he had intended to draw attention to individuals he described as “bad eggs” within the security agencies rather than accuse every soldier, police officer or other security operative of wrongdoing.

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“I know exactly what I was trying to say because, I mean, I have evidence to back up my claim, but I wasn’t fair to a lot of people in that speech,” he said.

The activist said he was particularly concerned about the effect his comments could have on soldiers serving in conflict zones and fighting Boko Haram and other insurgent groups.

“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.

He added that it would be unfair to describe such soldiers as “unknown gunmen”, noting that many had sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.

“I don’t think it’s fair to say they are also the unknown gunmen, to be very honest, because these people have laid down their lives,” he said.

VDM consequently apologised to the Chief of Defence Staff, asking that his apology be extended to soldiers deployed to conflict areas.

“So I will go further to say to the Chief of Defence Staff, Sir, I really want to apologise for that speech, and I don’t want to discourage your boys,” he said.

“Please extend my apologies to your boys, to the ones that are in the bush protecting our lands,” he added.

He also apologised to personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service and Nigeria Immigration Service, as well as families of security personnel who have died while serving the country.

VDM said he understood that relatives of fallen security personnel could feel offended by his comments because their loved ones had made significant sacrifices in the service of Nigeria.

“To the families of these heroes that might have also felt offended by this speech, knowing fully well that their brother, their sister, their son, their husband fought and died for this country, I am really, really sorry,” he said.

Despite the apology, VDM maintained his criticism of alleged corruption and misconduct within the country’s security architecture.

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He said his original argument was aimed at what he described as individuals within the security agencies who allegedly leak sensitive information or sabotage the operations of their colleagues.

“My speech was not to discourage you. My speech was entirely to talk about the bad eggs in our security operative, our security forces, is to put attention on the bad eggs, so that the leaders in these security settings will look inward and to see that sometimes information are being leaked and their own people are sabotaging them,” he said.

VDM acknowledged that his choice of words made it appear as though he was generalising his allegations across the security agencies.

“But by passing that speech, like I said, it seems like I was generalising and it’s not fair to the fallen soldiers,” he said.

He also said he had maintained interactions with some police officers and had occasionally shared security-related information with them.

“Me and police, we work steady. I give, sometimes I share police information, tell them, ‘Oh, this is what is happening here, please, can you intercept,’” he said.

The activist urged security personnel who are carrying out their duties honestly not to be discouraged by his earlier remarks.

He said he was concerned that a soldier deployed in a remote location could watch the video of his NBA speech and feel that Nigerians did not appreciate the sacrifices being made by troops.

“Imagine a soldier fighting in the bush and he watches VDM’s video, and he’s like, ‘Ah, VDM is one of us now, unknown gunman.’ That would discourage him, to be honest,” he said.

At the same time, VDM maintained his allegations against individuals he believes are involved in corruption, sabotage or the leaking of sensitive information.

“But then again, to the bad eggs, your days are numbered,” he said.

“To all of you in the military that are sabotaging and causing deaths to your officers, your days are numbered,” he added.

The apology comes amid controversy over VDM’s appearance at the NBA Annual General Conference, which also attracted criticism from some members of the legal profession.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana had questioned the decision to invite the social media activist to participate in a specialised discussion, arguing that professional gatherings should ensure that speakers addressing specialised subjects possess relevant expertise.

VDM subsequently defended his participation and explained why he was invited to the conference. He later responded to some of the criticism through social media, including a video in which he appeared wearing a lawyer’s wig and gown.

The latest apology also follows the separate controversy surrounding VDM’s allegation that some police officers manning checkpoints allegedly pass information about wealthy travellers to kidnappers.

The Nigeria Police Force challenged him to provide evidence to substantiate the allegation.

VDM, in response, maintained that he had evidence to support his claim and challenged the authorities to take him to court, saying he would present the evidence if required.

In his latest video, however, he clarified that his criticism was not intended to condemn security agencies or the personnel genuinely working to protect Nigerians.

“I actually know more than the people I was trying to communicate with, so it was not really communicated properly,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to continue supporting security personnel fighting terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and other security threats across the country.

“And to the patriots, to the heroes, to our fallen heroes that have died to protect this country… I am really, really sorry,” he said.

“Keep on fighting for our beloved country, God bless all of you. We Nigerians are with you,” he added.

VDM’s apology has now shifted part of the debate from the substance of his original allegations to the manner in which he communicated them.

While he has acknowledged that describing security agencies collectively as “unknown gunmen” was unfair, he continues to insist that alleged corruption, information leaks and internal sabotage within security institutions deserve attention.

His allegations against specific security personnel remain allegations and have not been established as facts by a court or independent investigation.

The police response and any subsequent investigation could determine whether evidence exists to substantiate specific claims made by the activist.

For now, VDM has sought to draw a distinction between his criticism of alleged misconduct within the security system and the work of soldiers, police officers and other personnel who risk their lives to protect Nigerians.

His latest comments are likely to fuel further discussion about the need for public criticism of security institutions to be balanced with recognition of the sacrifices made by personnel serving in conflict zones and other dangerous environments.

NBA controversy: VDM apologises to security agencies over ‘unknown gunmen’ remarks