Rivers lawyers give VeryDarkMan seven days to apologise over alleged defamation

The Abuja-Based Rivers Lawyers Association (ABRLA) has given social media personality VeryDarkMan seven days to retract alleged defamatory statements against its member, Jordan Wike, and issue a public apology or face possible legal action.

The association, in a statement dated October 24 and signed by C. Njoku, Esq., and P. L. Osakwe, Esq., accused the influencer, whom it identified as Martin Vincent Etse, of making unsubstantiated allegations of fraud against Wike in a video circulated on social media on October 21.

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

The association also faulted VeryDarkMan for allegedly claiming that Wike was the All Progressives Congress candidate for Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in Rivers State in the 2027 general election.

It maintained that the allegations were misleading and capable of damaging its member’s professional reputation and personal integrity.

ABRLA said Wike had denied involvement in fraudulent activities in his defence in a case reportedly pending before a court, stressing 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.

The group further denied claims that Wike had admitted receiving $2.1 million or handed the money over to his father.

On the political allegation, ABRLA identified Hon. Martins Amaewhule as the APC candidate for Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in the 2027 election, insisting that Wike had neither indicated interest in nor contested the party’s primary election.

The association also objected to the use of the name “Jordan Wicked” to refer to its member, insisting that his name was Jordan Wike.

Although it acknowledged that it would ordinarily refrain from commenting publicly on matters before the courts, ABRLA said the circulation of the video and its potential impact on its member’s reputation had made a response necessary.

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

The association stressed that its intervention was without prejudice to the ongoing judicial process.

It consequently urged VeryDarkMan to respect the court process and stop what it described as the media trial of its member.

ABRLA demanded the immediate removal of the video and related publications from all social media platforms, alongside an undertaking that similar allegations would not be published in the future.

It gave the social media personality seven days to issue an unequivocal public apology to Wike, warning that it would take appropriate legal steps if he failed to comply.

As of the time of the statement, no response from VeryDarkMan to the allegations or the association’s demands was included.