A Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has dismissed preliminary objections filed by social media personality Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), in the N1 billion defamation suit instituted by human rights lawyer Femi Falana, (SAN), and his son, musician and activist Folarin Falana, also known as Falz.
Justice F.A. Azeez, who delivered the ruling, ordered VDM to pay N200,000 in costs, N100,000 each to the two Claimants, after rejecting his request to dismiss the suits on jurisdictional grounds.
The judge further directed the Defendant to file his defence without delay.
The defamation claims arise from a video posted on VDM’s Instagram account on 24 September 2024, in which the Claimants allege he made false and defamatory statements against them.
They are demanding N500 million each in damages, a public apology, and a perpetual injunction restraining further defamatory publications.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, Femi Falana was absent but represented by his lawyers, Ernest Olawanle and Femi Akinyemi. Falz was present in court. VDM, though absent, was represented by his counsel, Marvin Omorogbe.
VDM had argued that the court lacked jurisdiction because the alleged offence occurred outside Lagos State.
The court dismissed this argument, siding with the Claimants who had filed a counter-affidavit and written address opposing the preliminary objection.
Justice Azeez adjourned the matter to allow the Defendant to file his defence.
This ruling comes after another Lagos High Court, presided over by Justice Mathias Dawodu, struck out a related preliminary objection filed by VDM. That suit, a pre-emptive application initially granted on 14 October 2024, was deemed spent by the court, which ruled that pursuing it further would be a waste of judicial time due to the substantive case already pending before Justice Azeez.
The Falanas are seeking a court declaration that VDM’s publication is libelous, an order restraining him from further defamation, and a directive that he publicly apologises on all his social media platforms and in a national daily.
The case was adjourned till 18 July 2025.
