Nigerian rapper Falz, born Folarin Falana, has given social media critic VeryDarkMan a 24-hour ultimatum to retract alleged defamatory statements made against him.
This comes after VeryDarkMan shared a video where he referenced claims made by popular social media celebrity Bobrisky regarding Falz and his father, Femi Falana, the human rights lawyer.
The controversy began when Bobrisky, in a purported audio conversation, claimed that Falz and his father, Femi Falana (SAN), had contacted her while she was in prison. According to Bobrisky, they tried to secure her a presidential pardon.
In the video, VeryDarkMan repeated these claims, saying, “Falz and Femi Falana spoke to Bobrisky in order to diverge justice. And this same Falz dares to say he’s fighting against government’s oppression.”
VeryDarkMan further alleged that the Falanas attempted to obtain a pardon for Bobrisky in exchange for ₦10 million.
In response, the Falana & Falana Chambers issued a formal letter on behalf of Falz, demanding an immediate retraction and apology for the false claims made in the video.
The letter described the accusations as “vicious, wicked, and reckless,” and firmly denied that Falz or his father ever contacted Bobrisky regarding a presidential pardon.
The letter went on to clarify that it was Bobrisky who had reached out to Falz for financial assistance.
According to the letter, “Specifically, on the 4th of May 2024, Mr. Idris Okuneye (AKA Bobrisky) contacted our client requesting a phone conversation with him. Our client gratuitously obliged, having knowledge of the Naira abuse charges leveled against him, and genuinely believing he might require legal advice.”
However, instead of asking for legal advice, Bobrisky allegedly solicited financial help, claiming to need ₦3 million to pay officials at the prison for preferential treatment.
The letter stated, “Mr. Idris Okuneye (AKA Bobrisky) called shortly after but instead of soliciting legal advice, stated that he was in distress and needed financial assistance of about ₦3,000,000 (three million naira) which he claimed he needed to pay some officials to be permitted to stay in the VIP section of the Correctional Centre.”
Falana’s letter requested that VeryDarkMan issue a public apology across all platforms where the defamatory video was shared. It warned that if no retraction and apology were issued within 24 hours, the chambers would pursue legal action, including claims for monetary damages.
This incident follows Bobrisky’s own public statements regarding her imprisonment, where she claimed to have bribed officials from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with ₦15 million to drop money laundering charges. Bobrisky has since denied the bribery claims, calling the viral recording “fake.”
The social media celebrity also insisted, “I served my term in prison,” contradicting earlier claims that her “godfather” and the controller general of the Nigerian Correctional Service had arranged for her to serve her sentence in a private apartment instead of prison.
In light of these allegations, the EFCC has invited both Bobrisky and VeryDarkMan to provide clarity on the bribery accusations. Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the alleged corruption within the Nigerian Correctional Service.