Controversial social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has dragged telecommunications giant MTN to court over an advert promoting the Dangote Refinery Initial Public Offering.
VeryDarkMan alleged that MTN sent the Dangote Refinery IPO advertisement directly to his private telephone line linked to his National Identification Number without his consent.
Reacting to the message, the activist questioned why his NIN-linked line was being used to promote an investment opportunity he said he never requested information about.
He accused MTN of using his personal information without authorisation and said he had taken legal action against the telecommunications company over the matter.
VeryDarkMan also turned his attention to the Dangote Refinery IPO, expressing strong reservations about the offer and describing it as a “Ponzi scheme.”
The activist questioned the aggressive promotion of the share offer to Nigerians and urged people to examine the investment carefully before committing their money.
The Dangote Refinery IPO has attracted widespread attention, with the company offering shares to members of the public as part of efforts to raise funds for its expansion plans.
However, the controversy involving VeryDarkMan has shifted attention to the privacy concerns surrounding unsolicited investment messages sent to telecommunications subscribers.
The activist’s case against MTN is expected to centre on whether the company had the right to use his NIN-linked telephone information for the promotional message without his consent.
As of the time of filing this report, MTN had not publicly responded to VeryDarkMan’s allegation.
VeryDarkMan’s description of the Dangote Refinery IPO as a “Ponzi scheme” is his personal claim and has not been established as fact.