VeryDarkMan
Social media activist Martin Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, has confessed to inventing a story about ₦180 million allegedly missing from his NGO’s account.
He claimed the false narrative was an experiment to expose how Nigerians easily believe and spread unverified information online.
In a video posted on Instagram, VeryDarkMan addressed the backlash, explaining his reasons for the controversial stunt.
“Since the ₦180 million naira missing from the NGO account, I have been seeing a lot of unexpected comments,” he said. “Everything I have done on this social media, I’ve done because it’s who I am—not for public validation.”
The activist, known for raising awareness about fraud and advocating for scam victims, expressed dismay over the insults he received and the lack of critical thinking from social media users.
“I saw those comments and asked myself, what is my offence? All I do is help people recover their money and prevent scams. Sometimes, I even use my own funds or borrow to support these efforts. Yet, people insulted me and even called my mother a thief,” he stated.
VeryDarkMan criticised how quickly users believed and spread the fabricated story.
“You know 80% of the people on social media are stupid, right? This whole thing was an opportunity to show you that,” he declared. “Nobody questioned the story. If ₦180 million was really missing, why would I be in Jos instead of Abuja where the EFCC and cybercrime offices are? Nobody analyzed anything.”
He compared the reaction to other instances of misinformation, highlighting how easily false claims gain traction on social media.
“The whole media space is ruined. That’s why someone from Niger can claim the French government gave Tinubu money for a military base in the North East, and people believe it without any evidence.”
Concluding his message, VeryDarkMan reiterated, “80% of you on social media are very, very stupid.”
The revelation has sparked widespread debate, with some commending his effort to highlight the dangers of misinformation while others condemned his approach as deceptive and irresponsible.
