VDM Leads Abuja Protest Over Insecurity as Soldiers and Police Move In on Democracy Day

VDM Leads Abuja Protest Over Insecurity as Soldiers and Police Move In on Democracy Day

A protest led by social media activist VeryDarkMan over rising insecurity in Nigeria turned into one of the most talked about events of the week in Abuja. Within 48 hours, the demonstration had drawn soldiers and police into the streets, triggered a separate tear gas incident that hospitalised a former presidential candidate, and sparked rumours of an arrest that had to be publicly denied.

How It Started

Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan or VDM, returned to Nigeria from China on Wednesday afternoon, June 10, 2026. He had spent his time abroad publicly criticising President Bola Tinubu's government over its handling of insecurity, repeatedly urging Nigerians to vote the president and the ruling All Progressives Congress out of office in 2027.

Before he landed, VDM alleged that authorities were planning to arrest him on arrival. Members of his Ratel Movement gathered at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja to welcome him, according to Idoma Voice.

That same Wednesday night, VDM and members of the Ratel Movement marched through parts of the Federal Capital Territory and converged at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Abuja. The demonstration continued into Thursday morning. Video footage circulating widely on social media showed protesters chanting, "Tinubu must go, APC must go, bandits must go, terrorists must go," according to Leadership and News Central TV.

The protest was tied directly to the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, an incident that has generated widespread anger across the country in recent weeks.

Confronting Soldiers at the Ministry of Defence

On Friday, June 12, VDM extended his protest to the Ministry of Defence in Abuja, where he was met by soldiers and police officers stationed around the building.

According to a report by SOJ World News, VDM stood directly in front of the security operatives and addressed them at length. "After 35 years of service, there will be nothing to show for it. You have a government that you cannot use to protect your own family, but you are using it to protect this terrible government," he told them.

He went on to warn the officers about what life might look like after their service ends. "One day the uniform will be gone, the salary will stop, and you will return to your villages to face the same poverty, the same bandits, and the same insecurity you were used to shield others from. That day, you will remember this moment and ask why you didn't do the right thing while you had the chance," VDM said.

The remarks split opinion online. Some Nigerians praised him for speaking directly to security personnel about shared hardship. Others accused him of attempting to incite members of the armed forces against the government.

A Separate, Larger Protest Turns Violent

While VDM's demonstration was unfolding, a much larger protest organised by a coalition of civil society groups was taking place elsewhere in Abuja on the same Democracy Day, Friday, June 12.

According to Vanguard, hundreds of people gathered to march from the Berger Bus Stop toward Eagle Square and the presidential villa, protesting insecurity, economic hardship, and what they described as poor governance. Vanguard reported that police and soldiers formed barricades to block the march.

Among the demonstrators was Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist and former presidential candidate. According to Channels Television, police fired tear gas canisters at protesters near Unity Fountain. Sowore collapsed shortly afterward and was taken to hospital.

Sowore later described what happened in a post on X, saying, "Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force deployed a strange gas at the protest ground, at close range, which entered my lungs and left me struggling to breathe before I eventually collapsed." He added that the incident reflected what he called increasingly dangerous tactics used to suppress dissent.

The Nigeria Police Force had not issued a public response to Sowore's specific allegation regarding the type of gas used, as of the time of writing.

What the Government Said

The protests took place on the same day President Tinubu addressed the nation to mark Democracy Day. In an early morning televised broadcast, Tinubu vowed to "defend and strengthen" democracy and honoured individuals he said had suffered persecution in the country's democratic journey, according to Vanguard.

Tinubu's administration declared a nationwide security emergency in November 2025 as it worked to respond to a wave of kidnappings and attacks, particularly those targeting schools.

Separately, a legal practitioner and Chief Operating Officer of UBIIJUS Intelligence, Dr. Blessing Agbomhere, publicly criticised VDM's call for protests. In a statement reported by Daily Post, Agbomhere said Nigeria's security challenges required "unity, patriotism, and citizen cooperation with security agencies, not street protests or anti-government rhetoric." She accused the activist of promoting narratives that could erode public confidence in government institutions.

Arrest Rumours and a Denial

By Friday night, rumours began circulating widely on Facebook and other platforms claiming that VDM had been arrested following the protests.

In the early hours of Saturday, June 13, activist and lawyer Deji Adeyanju addressed the speculation directly. "VDM not arrested," Adeyanju wrote in a statement shared on his social media accounts, according to Gistlover.

VDM also responded personally, denying that he had been taken into custody and stating that he was safe and had returned home. He said the protest had achieved its purpose and that future actions by the Ratel Movement would be announced in due course.

The rumours generated a wide range of reactions online. Some supporters expressed relief, while others, including critics of the activist, made comments suggesting he could still face legal consequences in connection with unrelated allegations involving funds raised for his NGO.

Voices From the Protest

Among those who joined the Friday demonstrations was Nigerian actor Emeka Ike, who made an emotional appeal during the protest, according to Legit.ng.

"Please don't let this go too far. It might be your children tomorrow. Our children may not be there today, but somebody's child is there. Please, let's stop this killing," Ike said.

His comments were widely shared online and added a prominent entertainment industry voice to a protest movement that has so far been driven mainly by activists and civil society groups.

Why This Matters

Nigeria has experienced a sharp rise in mass abduction cases targeting schools over the past several weeks, including the Oyo State incident that has become a focal point for protesters. The government has responded with a declared security emergency and public assurances from the president, while critics argue that street-level frustration reflects a gap between official statements and what citizens are experiencing.

The presence of soldiers alongside police at protest sites, something not always seen at civilian demonstrations in Abuja, has become part of the story in itself. Whether that deployment was a standard Democracy Day security measure or a direct response to the protests has not been confirmed by the Nigerian Army or the Nigeria Police Force.

Where Things Stand

As of Saturday, June 13, 2026, VDM has not been arrested, according to both his lawyer and his own public statements. Omoyele Sowore was hospitalised after collapsing during the separate Democracy Day protest and has since spoken publicly about the incident. The Nigeria Police Force has not issued a detailed public statement addressing the tear gas incident or Sowore's specific claims.

VDM has said further actions from the Ratel Movement will be announced. No official government response specifically addressing VDM's protest or his remarks to soldiers at the Ministry of Defence had been issued at the time of writing.