Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has apologised to Nigeria’s security agencies over remarks he made during the Nigerian Bar Association’s 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Otse had sparked controversy during his appearance at the conference after making comments that appeared to portray the military, police, immigration and customs personnel as being responsible for insecurity in the country.
In a video released on Friday, the activist said he had reflected on his remarks and realised that his comments were unfair to many security personnel who were genuinely working to protect Nigerians.
He particularly apologised to soldiers serving in areas affected by insurgency and other security threats, acknowledging the sacrifices made by personnel who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Otse explained that his original intention was to draw attention to what he described as misconduct, corruption and alleged sabotage by some individuals within the security agencies, rather than accuse all personnel of involvement in criminal activities.
According to him, however, the way he communicated his concerns made it appear as though he was generalising about the entire security establishment.
He therefore extended his apology to the Chief of Defence Staff, members of the armed forces, the police, customs and immigration authorities, as well as families of security personnel who have died protecting the country.
The activist maintained that there are still many dedicated and patriotic officers within the security agencies and urged them not to be discouraged by his earlier comments.
He also stood by his broader concerns about alleged misconduct within some security institutions, saying his criticism was directed at individuals he described as “bad eggs” rather than the agencies as a whole.
Otse’s appearance at the NBA conference had generated significant debate, with some lawyers and commentators questioning his invitation while others defended the decision to include his perspective in discussions on insecurity.
His latest apology is an attempt to clarify his position and acknowledge the impact his remarks may have had on serving and fallen security personnel and their families.
