In a decisive ruling on May 20, 2025, a Lagos High Court presided over by Justice Fimisola Azeez dismissed social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse—better known as VeryDarkMan (VDM)—and ordered him to pay ₦200,000 in damages to human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, musician Folarin “Falz” Falana.
The fines, set at ₦100,000 for each claimant, were awarded after the court found VDM’s preliminary objection to the suit “lacking in merit” and insisted he must immediately file his defense to the ₦1 billion defamation claim.
Allegations That Sparked the Lawsuit
The dispute traces back to an Instagram video VDM posted on September 24, 2024, wherein he repeated claims—originating from an audio by internet personality Bobrisky—that the Falanas leveraged their influence to quash money laundering charges against Bobrisky. In that clip, VDM labeled the Falanas hypocrites and insinuated they colluded with EFCC officers—remarks deemed “libelous and injurious” by the claimants, who are each seeking ₦500 million in damages.
Court’s Firm Stand on Jurisdiction and Process
VDM’s legal team had argued the Lagos court lacked jurisdiction, claiming the alleged defamatory acts occurred outside the state. Justice Azeez, however, concluded there was a sufficient link to Lagos to hear the matter and struck out the objection. She also ordered VDM to file his defense forthwith and warned that failure to do so could lead to a default judgment against him.
Next Steps and Broader Implications
With his objection dismissed, VDM faces the upcoming substantive hearing, now adjourned to July 18, 2025, where the court will examine the core defamation claims and evidence. Beyond this individual case, legal experts suggest the ruling underscores growing scrutiny of online speech in Nigeria, signaling that influencers can no longer shield potentially defamatory content behind social media platforms.
As proceedings continue, all eyes will be on how the court balances freedom of expression with reputation protection, and whether this landmark decision will set new standards for social media accountability in Nigeria.
