Social commentator Vincent Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has spoken about the growing insecurity in Nigeria during a panel session with police representatives and other panellists at a Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference.
VeryDarkMan addressed the conversations surrounding his invitation to the conference and explained why he believed his personal experiences with victims of insecurity gave him a reason to speak on the issue.
“I’m Not Here to Teach You the Law” – VeryDarkMan
The critic said some people questioned why the NBA invited him to the conference. However, he explained that he did not attend the event to teach lawyers about the law but to share his experiences. 
He said the panel focused on the issue of “known gunmen ” and argued that the discussion required people to listen to experiences from those who had witnessed the consequences of insecurity.
He also pointed out that members of the legal profession had faced the effects of insecurity, including kidnapping.
According to him, the issue should not become a discussion limited to legal expressions. He noted that people across the country continue to suffer from attacks and abductions.
VDM Recalls Visiting Attack Scenes
VeryDarkMan said he had visited several locations where gunmen had attacked communities and witnessed the consequences first-hand.
He recalled visiting Yelewata after the attack and said he also went to Lamurde after gunmen killed women in the community.
VDM, as he is also fondly called, also recalled visiting the scene of a bombing that occurred on Sallah Day, where he saw people who suffered from the attack.
He said his experiences had exposed him to the human cost of insecurity across different communities.
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“I Have Seen People Burnt Alive”
The social commentator said he had witnessed several victims of attacks and had seen the devastating consequences of violence.
VeryDarkMan said, “I have seen a lot of people that have been affected by the known and unknown gunmen. I have seen people burnt alive.”
He argued that these experiences made it important for him to contribute to discussions about insecurity in the country.
VeryDarkMan Criticises Conventional Media
The critic also criticised conventional media organisations for their coverage of insecurity. He mentioned NTA, AIT and other media organisations, accusing them of becoming less willing to cover the aftermath of attacks.
He said fear and other challenges had affected the way conventional media organisations reported incidents in communities affected by insecurity.
According to him, this gap had created room for people like him to visit affected areas and show the public what happened.
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VeryDarkMan Speaks on the Yelewata Attack
Speaking specifically about the Yelewata incident, VeryDarkMan said Fulani attackers carried out the attack as retaliation.
He claimed that the attack followed the killing of some Fulani men and their cows by people in Yelewata.
VDM said, “What happened in Yelewata, it was the Fulani’s that attacked the people in Yelewata. The reason why the Fulani did that was a retaliation because the Yelewata killed some Fulani men and their cows.”
His comments formed part of his broader argument that Nigerians need to examine the circumstances surrounding violent attacks instead of discussing insecurity only from a distance.
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