Social commentator VeryDarkMan has voiced concern over what he described as the muted public reaction to the recent attack on Peter Obi in Benin City, Edo State, warning that such silence poses a danger to Nigeria’s democracy.
VeryDarkMan, whose real name is Vincent Martins Otse, questioned why no major government institution including the police, the National Assembly, or the presidency had publicly addressed the incident.
The attack reportedly occurred on February 24, when gunmen allegedly fired shots at the residence of former All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, leaving the gate and several vehicles riddled with bullets. Peter Obi later visited the scene, while authorities confirmed that investigations were underway.
In a video shared on his Instagram page, VeryDarkMan expressed disappointment over what he saw as a lack of widespread outrage, describing the incident as a serious threat to democratic stability. He suggested that even if the situation had resulted in a fatality, many Nigerians might still have responded with indifference.
He said:
“Democracy was threatened yesterday and it wasn’t even a small threat, it was a very big threat with this news. It says, Peter Obi escapes assassination attempt in Edo State. Honestly, I was expecting some form of uproar on social media everywhere.”
He also criticised what he described as the silence of public institutions, noting that no official statements had been released by key authorities.
“As we speak now, nobody is asking for accountability. I have not seen any press statement from the Edo State police. I have not seen anything from the governor’s house, from the government house. No release, no statement, nothing about this incident that happened in Edo State.”
Online reactions followed his remarks, with many users expressing concern that citizens may be becoming desensitised to political violence, while others agreed that serious incidents are often quickly forgotten.
Watch VeryDarkMan video below: