Rivers lawyers demand apology from VeryDarkMan over defamation

The Abuja Based Rivers Lawyers Association (ABRLA) has demanded that social media personality VeryDarkMan retract alleged defamatory statements against its member, Jordan Wike, and issue a public apology within seven days.

The association, in a statement dated October 24, accused VeryDarkMan, whose name it gave as Martin Vincent Etse, of making unsubstantiated allegations of fraud against Wike in a video circulated on social media on October 21.

The group said the video, which it claimed had attracted millions of views across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and other platforms, referred to Wike as a “thief” and linked him to an alleged $2.1m fraud involving land acquisition and purported lobbying activities in the United Kingdom.

ABRLA also faulted the social media personality for allegedly claiming that Wike was the All Progressives Congress candidate for Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in Rivers State in the 2027 general election.

The association maintained that the claims were misleading and capable of damaging its member’s professional reputation and personal integrity.

In the statement signed by C. Njoku, Esq., and P. L. Osakwe, Esq., on behalf of the association, ABRLA said Wike had denied involvement in fraudulent activities in his defence in a case pending before a court.

It stressed that the existence of a pending case did not amount to a conviction.

“For the records, our member is not a thief or fraudster as falsely represented by the said VeryDarkMan. No Court of competent jurisdiction both in Nigeria and outside Nigeria has pronounced him as such,” the association said.

ABRLA further denied claims that Wike admitted receiving $2.1m or handing the money over to his father.

The association also rejected the claim that Wike was the APC candidate for Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency, identifying Hon. Martins Amaewhule as the party’s candidate for the constituency in the 2027 election.

It added that its member had neither indicated interest in nor contested the party’s primary election.

The group also criticised the use of the name “Jordan Wicked” to refer to Wike, insisting that his name remained Jordan Wike.

Although the association acknowledged that it would ordinarily refrain from commenting on matters before the courts, it said the circulation and potential impact of the video on its member’s reputation necessitated a public response.

It warned that presenting unproven allegations of criminal conduct as established facts could mislead the public, prejudice perceptions of individuals involved in pending cases and undermine confidence in the legal profession.

The association, however, emphasised that its intervention was without prejudice to the ongoing judicial process.

ABRLA consequently demanded that VeryDarkMan respect the court process and stop what it described as the media trial of its member.

It also called for the immediate removal of the video and related publications from all social media platforms, alongside an undertaking to refrain from publishing similar allegations in the future.

The association gave the social media personality seven days to issue an unequivocal public apology to Wike, warning that it would take appropriate legal steps if its demands were not met.

The statement did not include a response from VeryDarkMan to the allegations or the demands for a retraction and apology.