ABUJA, Nigeria – Controversial social media critic and activist Martin Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), has fired back at Arise News Channel anchor Dr. Reuben Abati after he compared VDM’s efforts to raise awareness about human trafficking to the antics of controversial singer Habeeb Okikiola, also known as Portable.
Abati’s remarks were made during a segment of Politics Today on Arise News, where he praised VeryDarkMan’s enthusiasm but likened it to Portable’s unchecked enthusiasm on social media.
Abati said, “About VeryDarkMan, Martin Otse, I appreciate his enthusiasm. It’s almost like Portable getting excited over many things. That’s Habib Okikiola, who now says he wants to fight Anthony Joshua.”
VDM, however, did not take kindly to this comparison.
In a strongly worded video shared on Monday, April 14, 2025, he accused Abati of hypocrisy, questioning the TV journalist’s moral authority to belittle his efforts in raising awareness on the issue of human trafficking.
“Dr. Reuben Abati, it’s the fact that you think that you have the moral ground to talk about VeryDarkMan… you want to water down my efforts in order to create awareness surrounding the trafficking issue by comparing me with Portable,” VDM stated in the video.
He then referenced Abati’s 2016 arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which was linked to the investigation into the mismanagement of public funds under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
VDM shared an old picture of Abati during his EFCC detention and sarcastically pointed out, “Is this not you in EFCC cell, see your belle, see as you dey, you and Fani-Kayode and co, see una, why did they take you to EFCC?”
VDM also reminded viewers of Abati’s alleged involvement in the $2.1 billion arms deal scandal that rocked Nigeria during the tenure of former National Security Adviser (NSA) Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
According to reports, Abati had voluntarily appeared at the EFCC headquarters to answer questions regarding his role in the alleged diversion of national resources.
“No matter how you try to water down me, you can never tag me. The EFCC can never pick me for fraud,” VDM boldly declared, while continuing to defend his credibility in comparison to Portable.
Taking his criticisms further, VDM accused Abati of tribal bigotry, citing an incident from 2022 involving Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), who had used the word “Ode” (a Yoruba term meaning a fool) in a response to backlash over the treatment of Nigerian students in India.
VDM pointed out that Abati defended Dabiri-Erewa’s use of the term on Arise News, saying, “You did it in 2022; that’s why I’m responding to you… I no know how you take get Dr on your name.”
To support his claim, VDM played a video of Abati defending Dabiri-Erewa’s actions during a broadcast about the attack on Nigerian students in India.
During the segment, Abati downplayed the incident, stating, “It is a matter of perspective. There is a lot of abuse on Twitter. What Abike Dabiri did, I thought was in order.”
VDM concluded his response with a final jab, saying, “Don’t try to open your mouth in that Arise station and talk about me. If you want to talk, let me come to your station. Let’s talk about you and what you did with the money that they alleged you stole… Reuben Abathief — sorry Abati, continue kissing ass.”
