The Abuja Based totally Rivers Legal professionals Affiliation (ABRLA) has accused social media character, Martin Vincent Etse, popularly referred to as VeryDarkMan, of defaming its member, Mr Jordan Wike, Esq., over allegations bordering on fraud and dishonesty.
The affiliation, in a commentary issued in Abuja the day gone by, demanded the fast withdrawal of the alleged defamatory publications and a public apology to Wike inside of seven days.
The commentary was once signed via C. Njoku, Esq., and P. L. Osakwe, Esq., on behalf of the Abuja Based totally Rivers Legal professionals Affiliation.
ABRLA mentioned its consideration was once attracted to a video allegedly printed via VeryDarkMan on October 21, 2026, during which he accused its member of involvement in an alleged $2.1 million fraud in relation to land acquisition and purported lobbying actions in the UK.
In line with the affiliation, the social media character additionally allegedly referred to Wike as a “thief” and made different statements which it mentioned had been in a position to harmful his recognition as a legal professional.
ABRLA additional disputed an alleged declare that Wike is the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency in Rivers State for the 2027 normal elections.
The affiliation mentioned Wike neither indicated hobby in nor contested the APC number one election for the constituency, including that the birthday party’s candidate is Hon. Martins Amaewhule.
It additionally rejected an alleged declare that Wike admitted receiving $2.1 million and due to this fact passed the cash to his father.
“Our member by no means admitted or said receiving the sum of $2.1 million from any one, neither did he admit giving the mentioned sum to his father,” the affiliation said.
The attorneys additionally took exception to the outline in their member as ‘Jordan Depraved,’ stressing that his title is Jordan Wike, Esq.
ABRLA mentioned it had evaded commenting at the allegations as a result of the pending litigation hooked up to the topic, however was once pressured to reply as a result of what it described because the in style move of the video and its possible have an effect on at the legal professional’s recognition.
The affiliation insisted that Wike must now not be described as a thief or fraudster, arguing that no court docket of competent jurisdiction in Nigeria or in different places had convicted him of such offences.
“The pendency of a go well with in opposition to any individual does now not cumulate to a last conviction,” it mentioned, including that Wike had denied involvement in any fraudulent job in his defence sooner than the court docket.
The affiliation warned in opposition to what it described because the trial via public opinion of issues already sooner than the courts, stressing that unproven allegations of prison habits must now not be introduced as established information.
It maintained that freedom of expression, despite the fact that constitutionally secure, didn’t give any individual an unrestricted proper to submit defamatory allegations in a position to inflicting damage to someone else’s recognition.
Because of this, ABRLA demanded that VeryDarkMan recognize the judicial procedure and desist from what it described as the ongoing “media trial” of its member.
The affiliation additionally demanded the elimination and withdrawal of the video and all comparable publications from Fb, YouTube, Instagram and different social media platforms.
It additional demanded that VeryDarkMan stop and desist from publishing or republishing the similar or equivalent allegations in opposition to Wike.
ABRLA gave the social media character seven days to factor an “unequivocal and unreserved public apology” to Wike over the alleged defamatory newsletter.
The affiliation warned that failure to agree to its calls for would result in prison steps to offer protection to and put in force the rights of its member.
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