By Paul Joseph
Popular social media activist, Martins Vincent Otse, on Thursday led a mass protest in Abuja, taking his campaign against insecurity directly to the headquarters of Nigeria’s security establishment.
The activist, widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), mobilised members of the Ratel Movement and supporters to march to the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters and the Ministry of Defence, popularly known as Ship House, demanding greater accountability from authorities over the country’s worsening security situation.
The protesters questioned the effectiveness of the country’s security operations despite the allocation of approximately N3.16 trillion to the defence sector, arguing that kidnappings, banditry and other violent crimes continue to threaten lives across the country.
Carrying placards and chanting anti-banditry slogans, the demonstrators called on the Federal Government and security agencies to intensify efforts toward rescuing abducted school children and other citizens who remain in captivity in different parts of Nigeria.
Addressing supporters during the march, VDM stressed the need for a peaceful demonstration and instructed participants to avoid any form of violence or confrontation with security personnel.
He also advised protesters against creating social media content during the exercise, urging them to remain focused on the demands of the protest. According to participants, VDM further directed members of the movement to regroup peacefully if security agencies attempted to disperse the gathering.
The demonstration led to tense moments at some of the locations visited by the protesters. Armed military personnel were initially observed around the facilities, while police officers and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps later moved in to manage the situation.
As tensions escalated, security operatives reportedly deployed tear gas in an attempt to disperse parts of the crowd and restore order.
Despite the intervention, protesters insisted that their action was aimed at drawing attention to the plight of victims of insecurity and demanding answers from authorities regarding the utilisation of defence resources.
Videos from the protest quickly circulated across social media platforms, generating widespread reactions from Nigerians. While some users praised VDM and the protesters for drawing attention to the country’s security challenges, others questioned the strategy adopted and expressed concerns over some of the political chants heard during the demonstrations.
The protest comes amid growing public concern over persistent cases of kidnapping, bandit attacks and violent crimes across several parts of the country, with citizens increasingly calling for stronger and more effective security measures.
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