Verydarkman Slams Pastor Ibiyeomie Over Threats to Arrest Bloggers: “Nobody Dey Fear You” [VIDEO]

 

The growing tension between Nigerian activist Verydarkman and prominent cleric Pastor David Ibiyeomie has ignited a storm of online reactions, with sharp criticisms aimed at the pastor’s recent threat to arrest bloggers reporting news about him or his ministry.

Pastor Ibiyeomie, the head of Salvation Ministries, had warned digital journalists and online commentators to desist from writing or speaking about him. The popular preacher threatened legal consequences, specifically mentioning the possibility of jail time for those who continue to share news or criticisms related to his church activities.

Such remarks did not go unnoticed in Nigeria’s highly vocal activist circles. Verydarkman, a well-known social commentator and influencer, took the lead in publicly calling out Ibiyeomie’s perceived abuse of influence. In a passionate video response, he challenged the pastor to arrest anyone who speaks about him online, insisting that such authoritarian behavior would never fly in more developed democratic societies.

According to the activist, wielding influence to manipulate law enforcement is a serious overreach of power and a danger to freedom of speech. “I know you travel around the world, have you seen anybody using police to lock up people?” he queried. “That means you are using your influence now to say that you can use the police to oppress.”

He did not stop there. Verydarkman emphasized that no person, regardless of their social or religious standing, should be placed above scrutiny. He drew a strong line between respect and blind obedience, stating clearly, “You can’t try this in other countries because those police would do their investigations. You cannot command police to do anything whether you are influential or not.”

Frustration with religious leaders in Nigeria is not a new phenomenon, but the incident has sparked renewed debate over the growing intersection of church authority and civic oppression. Verydarkman accused pastors like Ibiyeomie of contributing to the systemic rot within the country, saying, “That is why I say even the pastors follow spoil the country, but people don’t understand what I was saying.”

He concluded his address with an emphatic declaration of defiance, telling the cleric, “Nobody dey fear you. Who are you that we will fear, are you not a human being?”

The activist’s bold stance has triggered a wave of public commentary on social media, many of which echoed his sentiments and criticized what they see as a dangerous culture of unchecked pastoral power.

One user, @Abasiono_Ek, vented their disillusionment, writing: “This stupidity got into the church too. As the leaders brag and are above the law so are the pastors too now. Wetin we never see. I like that phrase ‘to liberate a nation we have to drop respect.’ E make sense!”

Others focused on the structural consequences of Nigeria’s deep religious integration. @TVNDEY remarked, “Na people wey dey call them men of God I blame. These people are worse in character and everything, na scriptures them dey take cover up.”

User @olumidebravo3 pointed to a broader societal imbalance, highlighting the overrepresentation of churches at the expense of other social amenities. “We have more churches than cinemas, more churches than schools, more churches than sport centres, more churches than vocational centres, more churches than hospitals, more churches than recreational centres. Not until we begin to see the fraud, we shall never be free,” he wrote.

These responses reflect a deepening public skepticism toward religious institutions in Nigeria, many of which are seen as enjoying undue privilege and evading accountability. Critics argue that this sense of invincibility emboldens religious leaders to suppress dissent, even when it comes from citizens exercising their constitutional rights.

While Pastor Ibiyeomie has yet to respond directly to the backlash from Verydarkman and other commentators, the unfolding drama continues to ripple across digital platforms. The episode shines a spotlight on the complex and often controversial role that religious leaders play in Nigeria’s social and political landscape — a dynamic that many believe requires urgent recalibration.

At a time when freedom of speech and press are increasingly under pressure from multiple fronts, this clash between pulpit power and digital activism offers a timely reminder: no one, regardless of status or spiritual title, should be above public scrutiny.

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