Gospel singer Mercy Chinwo has filed a lawsuit against social media commentator Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), over alleged defamation.

In February, VDM accused Chinwo of diverting funds from shows without paying her former record label, owned by Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu, and claimed she violated her contract before leaving.

In a lawsuit dated March 3, Chinwo’s lawyer, Pelumi Olajengbesi, described VDM’s statements as “libellous, malicious, and damaging” to the singer’s reputation. He argued that VDM, who was not directly involved in the dispute, falsely portrayed Chinwo in a negative light, making “caricaturist and disdainful” comments favoring EeZee Tee’s side.

The lawsuit seeks a court order directing VDM to delete the defamatory posts, issue a public apology across his social media platforms, and publish it in two national newspapers. Chinwo is also demanding N1 billion in general damages, N100 million in punitive damages, N25 million in legal costs, and 10% annual interest on the judgment sum until full payment. Additionally, she requests that the apology be published in four national dailies for at least 14 consecutive days.