Activist Martins “Verydarkman (VDM)” Otse has criticised politician and human rights campaigner Omoyele Sowore over his remarks on the detention of cryptocurrency entrepreneur Linus “Blord” Ifejirika at Kuje Correctional Centre.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Blord was remanded in custody on Wednesday until 27 April, over charges of criminal conspiracy, impersonation, and the unauthorised use of VDM’s identity.
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Reacting to the remand, Mr Sowore, 55, took to his social media pages on Wednesday to condemn the decision, pledging to do everything in his power to secure Blord’s release and push for the discontinuation of the case.
For the record, the Ondo-born wrote: “I have read about the court-ordered detention of an individual known as B-Lord, and I must say this clearly that no one should celebrate the incarceration of any person under the colour of law. I have reached out to my astute rights lawyer, Marshal D F Abubakar, urging him to disengage from the process.
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“We must all agree that sending B-Lord to prison is not a victory for legal brilliance or advocacy. Rather, it risks emboldening a system of oppression that weaponises the law against citizens. Justice must never be reduced to punishment for its own sake. I will work to ensure this case is discontinued and B-Lord is released without further delay.”
VDM
However, in response to Mr Sowore’s post and his threat regarding the case, VDM took to Instagram on Thursday with a bold message.
He challenged Mr Sowore, saying he would have ignored him if not for the fact that his online remarks revealed the agenda he intended to pursue.
VDM warned that if Mr Sowore impersonated him or used his identity without authorisation to promote anything, he would deal with him just as severely as he did with Blord.
He said, “If you are truly your father’s son, Omoyele Sowore, try what Blord did, use my picture on a billboard or to promote anything without my approval, I’ll send you to prison. If you are truly your father’s son, go ahead and do what Blord did; you will learn a new thing, the hard way.
“This will be the biggest battle you have fought since you started activism. This is not government activism. Use your tongue to count your teeth, uncle. If you are truly your father’s son and you think you will discontinue the case, I do not care who you are, but I am telling you, try what Blord did and see what I will do. You are mad.”
Dialogue
VDM also noted that Mr Sowore could have reached out to him at the outset of the dispute to resolve the matter, but he chose not to.
He added that Mr Sowore had harboured a dislike for him from the outset, believing that he had taken over his role in activism.
“I know you do not like me because you think I have taken over what you were doing before. You are an activist; I am not, but rather an online watchdog. You have every right, power, and connection to call me and say, “My younger brother, I have seen what is going on online, and I do not like it. What can we do about this Blord matter? What will you do?” That is how an elder or a reasonable person is supposed to speak.
“Also let it be known that in a country where people use money to escape the law, where people use connections to spoil cases, I Martins Vincent Otse aka Verydarkman considered poor, dirty, smell, sent a man that is popularly seen as well connected, very powerful and influential to the Kuje correctional centre, knowledge is indeed power”, said VDM.
READ ALSO: Plateau Killings: VDM, Mr Macaroni, others tackle Tinubu over insecurity
Sowore reacts
Reacting to the threats from VDM, Mr Sowore took to his Facebook page to restate his commitment to securing Blord’s release.
He maintained that true struggle is never easy, adding that if it isn’t difficult, then it cannot be called a struggle.
Mr Sowore, who didn’t directly mention the VDM name, wrote. “Let’s stay resolute. Freedom must never be negotiable. #FreeBLord. We shall continue to live and to fight in and for a national space where the law is not a weapon of oppression, and where no man or woman suffers injustice under the colour of LAW!
