Gospel singer Mercy Chinwo has filed a ₦1.1 billion defamation lawsuit against social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM). The case was filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, over alleged defamatory statements made by VDM regarding a contractual dispute between Chinwo and her former record label boss, Ezekiel Onyedikachukwu (EezeeTee).

In February 2025, VDM posted several videos on Instagram accusing Chinwo of unethical practices, including accepting gigs without remitting payments to her record label. Chinwo’s legal team, however, insists that these claims are false and damaging to her reputation.

As part of her demands, Chinwo is seeking ₦1 billion in general damages, ₦100 million in punitive damages, and ₦25 million for legal costs. She is also requesting that VDM delete the alleged defamatory posts, issue a public apology across all his social media platforms, and publish retractions in two national newspapers.

This lawsuit adds to Chinwo’s ongoing legal battle with EezeeTee, whom she has accused of fraud and financial exploitation. VDM has publicly supported EezeeTee, releasing supposed evidence against Chinwo and questioning the fairness of the legal proceedings.