A murder investigation in the Ajiran area of Lekki, Lagos, has evolved into a major controversy after social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), accused senior police officers of attempting to frame businessman Hammed Akanbi Tajudeen for a crime he allegedly did not commit.
The allegations have triggered a fierce debate over police investigative procedures, the rights of criminal suspects, the influence of social media activism and the ability of law enforcement agencies to conduct impartial investigations.
VeryDarkMan, in a series of online broadcasts that attracted widespread attention, alleged that detained suspects in the Ajiran murder case were pressured and intimidated by police operatives to implicate Tajudeen as the person who allegedly financed the killing.
The activist specifically accused Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Jimoh Moshood, a former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, of being involved in a process that allegedly targeted the businessman and attempted to portray him as the mastermind behind the crime.
According to VDM, the statements allegedly linking Tajudeen to the murder were not voluntarily made by the suspects but were obtained through coercion. He argued that the investigation raised serious questions about the possibility of using law enforcement agencies to settle personal or business disputes.
However, the allegations have been rejected by supporters of AIG Moshood, who maintain that the investigation was conducted professionally and that the police acted based on evidence gathered during the course of their work.
The controversy is linked to the murder incident that occurred in the Ajiran/Ojomu communities of Lekki, an area that has experienced longstanding tensions over land ownership, community leadership and other local disputes.
Following investigations into the killing, the police declared Tajudeen wanted in February 2026 over alleged involvement in the crime. His legal representatives, however, argued that the declaration was made without giving him a fair opportunity to respond to the allegations.
Tajudeen was later arrested by INTERPOL in the neighbouring Republic of Benin in April 2026 and returned to Nigeria to face questioning.
Since his arrest, the businessman has maintained his innocence, describing the allegations against him as an attempt to damage his reputation and undermine his business interests.
His legal team, led by lawyer Adedotun Ajulo, has accused investigators of turning the case into a media trial after Tajudeen was publicly presented in handcuffs and restraints.
The defence argued that criminal investigations should not be conducted through public humiliation, insisting that suspects remain innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.
Ajulo and his team also questioned the credibility of statements allegedly made by some suspects against Tajudeen, claiming that the initial accounts provided during the investigation did not independently identify him as the person behind the murder.
The lawyers further alleged that concerns over the handling of the case resulted in the withdrawal of the investigation file from AIG Moshood’s office and its transfer to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, for further review.
The involvement of VeryDarkMan has intensified public interest in the case. Known for using his online platforms to campaign against alleged injustice, the activist has positioned himself as a defender of Tajudeen, demanding greater transparency from the police and questioning the evidence connecting the businessman to the crime.
While some Nigerians have praised VDM for raising concerns about due process and police accountability, others have criticised his intervention, arguing that social media campaigns should not replace formal investigations and judicial proceedings.
Meanwhile, supporters of AIG Moshood have dismissed the accusations as unfair and unsupported by verifiable evidence. Some civil society organisations have also warned against turning serious criminal allegations into online battles where public opinion could influence investigations.
The dispute has now become a broader test of Nigeria’s criminal justice system, raising questions about police accountability, the protection of suspects’ rights and the growing role of social media in shaping public perception of criminal cases.
As investigations and legal proceedings continue, the central question remains whether the allegations against Tajudeen are backed by credible evidence or whether, as his defenders claim, the businessman has been targeted through a flawed investigative process.
The final determination of the case will ultimately depend on the evidence presented before the court.
