Renowned gospel singer Mercy Chinwo has filed a N1.1 billion defamation lawsuit against popular social media critic, Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The lawsuit stems from a series of social media posts in which the blogger allegedly made false and damaging claims against Chinwo, accusing her of being involved in a contractual dispute and misappropriating $345,000 linked to her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, also known as EeZee Tee.
Filed by her lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, the suit seeks a court order compelling the blogger to delete all allegedly defamatory posts, issue a public retraction, and publish an apology across his social media platforms and in national newspapers.
Chinwo has provided documentary evidence, including emails and payment receipts, to refute the allegations.
According to the lawsuit, VeryDarkMan made multiple posts on Instagram between February 2 and 17, 2025, accusing the singer of engaging in secret financial dealings, manipulating legal proceedings, and orchestrating an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detention for media advantage.
Her legal team argues that these claims were designed to tarnish Chinwo’s reputation, damage her professional standing, and cause emotional distress.
The suit demands that the blogger retract his statements and publish an unreserved apology in at least two national newspapers, as well as an additional 14-day apology in four other dailies.
Chinwo is seeking N1 billion in general damages, N100 million in punitive damages, N25 million for legal costs, and a 10 percent annual interest on the judgment sum until full payment.
The case unfolds as a Federal High Court in Lagos recently upheld an arrest warrant against EeZee Tee over an alleged fraudulent conversion case, with his arraignment set for March 6, 2025.
While Chinwo has distanced herself from the legal proceedings against EeZee Tee, her lawsuit contends that VeryDarkMan deliberately misrepresented events to damage her public image.
