A Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja has issued an arrest warrant for popular blogger Martins Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), over allegations of defamation against gospel singer Mercy Chinwo.

The court, led by Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna, ordered the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to arrest VeryDarkMan and bring him to court. This order was given because VDM failed to appear in court after being summoned on March 5, 2025.

His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, tried to convince the court to withdraw the warrant, promising to bring his client to court personally. However, the magistrate refused and insisted that security agencies must produce VeryDarkMan in court.

The defamation case is linked to statements VDM made on social media. He accused Mercy Chinwo of being involved in a contractual dispute and the alleged diversion of $345,000 related to her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu (Eezee Tee).

Chinwo, however, denied the allegations and provided emails and payment receipts as evidence to prove that the claims were false and damaging to her reputation.

The lawyers representing Mercy Chinwo, led by Pelumi Olajengbesi, stated that VDM’s actions violated Sections 391 of the Penal Code and Section 24 (1)(B) of the Cybercrime Act 2015.

Additionally, Chinwo’s legal team has taken the matter to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, demanding ₦1.1 billion in damages from VeryDarkMan. They also want him to delete his posts, issue a public apology, and retract his statements.

Now that a bench warrant has been issued, security agencies are expected to arrest VeryDarkMan and present him in court. The case has drawn attention, as many people follow VDM’s outspoken social media presence.

This legal battle highlights the risks of spreading unverified information online and the legal consequences of defamation.