I Need To Protect the Integrity Of The EFCC And Clear My Name
Nigerian singer, Terry Apala, has threatened to file a lawsuit against social media activist, VeryDarkMan, over allegations that he (Apala) bribed officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a cease-and-desist letter dated April 24, 2025, and issued through Apala Fusion Limited, the singer strongly refuted claims made in a video posted by VeryDarkMan earlier this year on Instagram.
The video accused Apala of offering bribes to EFCC officers—a claim Apala describes as “completely untrue” and damaging to both his reputation and that of the EFCC.
“I have never bribed anyone, nor have I been involved in any kind of financial corruption with any organization or individual, whether public or private,” Apala wrote.
The artist went on to explain that he was not even in Nigeria at the time the alleged bribery was said to have taken place.
He outlined his movements in detail, stating he was in the United Kingdom from January to February, observing a spiritual retreat during Ramadan and Easter from February to March, and then traveled to South Africa to complete a paid performance engagement. He only returned to Nigeria on April 20, 2025.
“It deeply troubles me that this unfounded accusation is being spread around without any proof,” he added. “It needs to be publicly refuted quickly to protect the integrity of the EFCC and to clear my name.”
Apala demanded that VeryDarkMan issue a public apology and a retraction within 48 hours, addressed to both himself and the EFCC. He also instructed him to refrain from making any further defamatory or misleading statements. Failure to comply, Apala warned, would result in immediate legal proceedings without further notice.
“It’s disheartening to see how easily lies and baseless accusations can spread like wildfire on social media these days,” the statement concluded. “We need to be more mindful of the impact our online behavior has. There are real people and real consequences behind the screens.”
As of press time, VeryDarkMan has not issued any response to the lawsuit.
