Social media personality and commentator Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, has found himself at the center of controversy after alleging that ₦180 million was stolen from his NGO account in a hacking incident. The claim, made in a video posted on Instagram on Friday, has sparked intense debate online, with many questioning the credibility of his story.
In the video, Otse explained that ₦180 million had been transferred to an unknown account, leaving only ₦20 million remaining in his NGO’s funds. However, the lack of clarity surrounding the incident has raised doubts, with several Nigerians voicing skepticism over the authenticity of the claim. Social media users quickly pointed out inconsistencies, with some questioning the feasibility of such a large sum being stolen without proper safeguards.
Dr. J, who tweeted under the handle #truebenny001, expressed disbelief at the explanation, while another user, Basito, tweeted under #Itzbasito, remarked, “VeryDarkMan said ₦180m is missing from the ₦200m donation for his NGO. See scope o, like say we be primary school students.”
Others voiced stronger concerns, including Mas Dinero, tweeting under #Mas_Dinero_, who said, “₦180 million don vanish just like that? Omo, hackers or no hackers, na who get mind dey this NGO? Because this story no clear o. Money wey no be yours dey waka anyhow? Better call EFCC; this drama don pass ordinary.” Some critics even referred to Otse’s previous reputation for scrutinizing others, adding fuel to the fire.
Mikay, under the handle #stephen_mikay, pointed out potential security flaws, saying, “Lol. It is not possible! Banks set limits to certain transactions. ₦180m cannot go out of a bank account at once without verbal confirmation from the signatories!” This echoed concerns raised by users about possible vulnerabilities in the management of the funds.
Meanwhile, some users humorously remarked about Otse’s own history of content creation. Star Girl (#lil_maamiiii) tweeted, “If it were someone else sharing this VeryDarkMan story, by now he would have set his ring light, with his dirty sachet water and black singlet, analysing God knows what. Lmaooo. Another user, Datoyo (#heyitzpearl), agreed, saying, Lol. If it were someone else, he would’ve worn a singlet, carried sachet water, set his phone, and pressed record.
Despite the backlash, some social media users emphasized the importance of cybersecurity. Vincent The Therapist, tweeting under #mrhighfoster, said, “This is why cybersecurity should be taken seriously in Nigeria. When you know you have a public account receiving a large amount of money, you should enforce its security.” He stressed the rising global demand for cybersecurity skills, especially in light of incidents like this one.
As the controversy continues to unfold, Nigerians are calling for further clarification from Otse regarding the alleged theft. The skepticism surrounding the claim shows how critical it is for public figures to provide transparent and convincing explanations when such incidents occur.