Popular social media critic VeryDarkMan (VDM) has responded to the recent arrest warrant issued against him by a chief magistrate court in Abuja.
The controversial influencer claims the move is part of a broader plot by the judiciary to “shut me down” amid his ongoing legal dispute with gospel singer Mercy Chinwo.
The warrant was issued on Thursday after VDM failed to appear in court despite a summons on March 5. His lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, had pleaded for a reconsideration, assuring the court he would personally present his client. However, the magistrate rejected the request and issued the order for VDM’s arrest.
Taking to Instagram on Friday, VDM addressed the situation, insisting he is not afraid of being arrested but alleging there is an organized effort to silence him because of his outspoken nature.
“The courts have ordered my arrest. First things first, the judiciary cannot shut me down. A lot of you don’t know, but there’s a push for the judiciary to shut me down,” VDM stated.
He went on to accuse judicial officials handling his case of bias, questioning the legality and fairness of the processes.
“How can a lawyer have six cases in front of one magistrate in one day? On that same day, the judge ordered my arrest. My lawyer informed the court that I was not in Nigeria and that I have cases in the same court, yet I have never missed a day,” he said.
VDM further alleged that there is a plan to arrest him at the airport once he returns to Nigeria, stating, “Their plan is to handcuff me if I come to Nigeria so people will say, ‘Oh, Mercy has won.’ But even if they handcuff me, it does not change the truth: there is an abuse of power and influence in this case.”
He also accused Mercy Chinwo of lying and using her influence to manipulate public perception, saying:
“Mercy, you are a liar. No matter how much you lie or use your influence, the truth remains the truth.”
VDM has previously accused Chinwo of diverting funds from shows without remitting them to her former record label, owned by Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, popularly known as EeZee Tee. He claimed the gospel singer violated contractual agreements before parting ways with the label.
In response, Chinwo, through her lawyer Pelumi Olajengbesi, filed a N1.1 billion lawsuit against VDM, accusing him of making “libelous, malicious, spiteful, malevolent, and grossly defamatory statements” aimed at damaging her image. Chinwo also demanded a public apology, retraction of the statements, and deletion of the alleged defamatory posts.
Despite the legal battles, VDM has remained defiant, even teasing a diss track aimed at Chinwo on social media.
The feud between Chinwo and EeZee Tee reportedly began after she left the label, accusing him of financial exploitation. She alleged that her former label boss diverted over $345,000 from her digital platforms and events without transparency or remittance. EeZee Tee denied the claims but called for an independent audit to clear his name amid the allegations.