Popular social media commentator Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has admitted that his recent claim about ₦180 million being stolen from his NGO’s account was a fabrication. In a video shared on Instagram on Tuesday, VDM confessed that the story was a deliberate ploy to expose the gullibility of the public and highlight the dangers of spreading unverified information.
A Fabricated Narrative
VDM revealed that the entire incident was staged to demonstrate how easily false narratives can spread without scrutiny.
“This whole thing that happened with the ₦180 million, I deliberately did it to show that you people are stupid,” he said. “We are in a country where nobody bothers to check or investigate anything that is said in the media.”
He explained that he had instructed his website administrators to temporarily shut down the NGO’s site to support the ruse.
“Make we use these people take catch cruise, make we teach these people sense because they are dumb,” he added, asserting that the lack of critical thinking among many social media users was a problem.
Criticism of Media and Social Media Culture
VDM used the situation to critique the media and social media culture, which he believes thrives on controversy.
“Now, for musicians to blow, they will have to look for controversy; for movies to blow, they will look for controversy. That is how bad the media is,” he stated.
He urged his followers to demand evidence before believing or sharing information, saying, “The way you people are excited about bad news, you don’t even wait to analyse anything anymore. It’s a problem, and that is why the media has been corrupted.”
Refuting Other Claims
VDM also addressed criticisms about his previous posts, including accusations that he falsely presented a taxi driver as a police officer.
“I never said that guy was a police officer. Go back to my video and tell me where I said police. I said I’m travelling with Officer Sam. An officer can be Air Force, Navy, Civil Defence, or even Task Force,” he clarified.
He also challenged claims about France establishing a military base in Nigeria, calling on critics to provide evidence to support such narratives.
Revealing the Truth
In a separate video, VDM revealed the bank statement of his NGO account, which showed a closing balance of ₦240 million as of December 31, 2024. He emphasized that no money was missing, contrary to his earlier claims.
“Money no lost. The e-bank statement will be provided. The total money in this account is ₦240 million. Nobody is like me in Nigeria. I’m the only one that can do this,” he declared.
A Call for Critical Thinking
VDM concluded by urging social media users to think critically and verify information before spreading it.
“Different narratives will fly because you people don’t use your brains to think. They can easily manipulate you through the media,” he said.
Backstory
VDM initially claimed last Friday that ₦180 million was stolen from his NGO account after a hacking incident. He later alleged on Sunday that ₦78 million of the stolen funds had been recovered, further fueling the controversy.
The revelation of the fabrication has sparked mixed reactions online, with some applauding his efforts to promote critical thinking, while others criticized the method he used to make his point.
