The legal face-off between influencer VeryDarkMan and the duo of Femi Falana and Falz has taken a new turn. On Tuesday, the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja fined the social media personality ₦200,000 and dismissed his challenge to the court’s authority in the ₦1 billion defamation suit.
Justice Fimisola Azeez ruled that Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, must pay ₦100,000 each to Femi Falana and his son, Falz. The judge also ordered him to immediately submit a formal defence in response to the defamation claims.
This lawsuit originated from a video posted by VeryDarkMan on Instagram on September 24, 2024. In the clip, he allegedly repeated damaging claims made by controversial figure Bobrisky. The accusations suggested that Femi Falana, a senior advocate and human rights lawyer, along with Falz, a well-known musician and activist, had interfered with justice.
In response, the Falanas are seeking ₦500 million each in damages. They are also requesting a court declaration that the post was defamatory and harmful to their public image. Furthermore, they are demanding a permanent injunction preventing the influencer from making similar posts in the future.
As part of the reliefs, they want VeryDarkMan to issue a public apology. This must be published on his social media platforms and in a national newspaper.
During the hearing, Falz was present in court. His father, Femi Falana, was represented by his legal team, Ernest Olawanle and Femi Akinyemi. VeryDarkMan was absent but had his lawyer, Marvin Omorogbe, represent him.
The court adjourned the case to July 8 for further mention. As the legal proceedings continue, the outcome of this high-profile case could shape conversations around online speech, accountability, and reputation in Nigeria’s digital space.
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