Entertainment
Bobrisky drags VeryDarkMan to court, demands N1bn in damages
Nigerian crossdresser and social media influencer, Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, has taken legal action against Martins Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, seeking N1 billion in damages for defamation.
The lawsuit, which was disclosed on Bobrisky’s Instagram account on Sunday, alleges that VeryDarkMan shared an AI-generated audio recording falsely implicating Bobrisky in inappropriate relationships with high-profile individuals, including politicians and law enforcement personnel.
According to the lawsuit, Bobrisky’s legal team accused VeryDarkMan of exploiting their client’s name and public persona to gain attention, making baseless allegations about his interactions with influential figures.
“Our client has informed us that in your quest for social media stardom, you have continued to exploit his name, personality, and social media influence to create media buzz for your personal gains,” the legal statement reads.
“Recently, you alleged in one of your trending videos on various social media platforms that various Deputy Inspectors General of the Nigeria Police Force, lawmakers, senators, and politicians generally were in the habit of having sexual intercourse with our client, yet you have not provided any proof of these claims to date.”
The lawsuit further states that VeryDarkMan’s actions have been detrimental to Bobrisky’s mental health, privacy, and constitutional rights, claiming he showed disregard for the harm caused.
“You have persisted in making reckless and unfounded statements, including hearsay that you cannot prove against our client, disregarding his mental health, general wellbeing, right to privacy, right to freedom of thought, right to life, and other fundamental constitutional rights,” the statement continues.
The suit also highlights an AI-generated audio clip, purportedly featuring Bobrisky, which his legal team asserts is completely fabricated and demands its immediate removal.
“Our client has become aware that you recently published an AI-generated audio call, claiming it was between an unnamed individual and our client. For the record, our client has never had any audio conversation with this individual, and your act of defamation and blackmail should be retracted within 24 hours of the service of this letter of demand via social media platforms.”
Bobrisky’s legal team insists that VeryDarkMan retracts all defamatory content, issues public apologies in two national newspapers, and shares a video apology across social media platforms. In addition, the suit demands N1 billion in damages for the reputational harm caused.
“As it relates to our client, we demand that you immediately remove the said AI-generated audio recording published as a video by you, along with your defamatory commentary voiceover, which you recklessly and dangerously attributed to our client,” the legal team stated.
The lawyers further warned that failure to meet these demands would lead to immediate legal proceedings.
“Take notice: should you fail to take advantage of the alternative dispute resolution mechanism introduced in paragraphs 10 and 11 of this demand notice, we shall seek legal redress in a court of competent jurisdiction immediately without any further notice to you. We hope this matter can be resolved within the next 24 hours.”