BBNaija winner Phyna found herself without an Instagram page on Monday, as the platform suspended her account in the heat of her explosive feud with social media critic VeryDarkMan.
The conflict traces its roots to the tragic death of Phyna’s sister, Ruth Otabor, in August 2025, following a Dangote truck accident near Auchi Polytechnic. Phyna had reportedly reached out to VeryDarkMan, whose real name is Martins Vincent Otse, for public advocacy to help secure justice and compensation from the company.
Their alliance, however, did not last. In emotional videos and posts, a tearful Phyna claimed VDM had previously blocked her, only to unblock her later to send suggestive late-night messages during her period of grief. She alleged that his support had become conditional on sexual favors, sharing alleged WhatsApp screenshots detailing what she described as “bedroom” proposals.
The accusations were as bold as they were incendiary. Phyna was seen in a video emotionally recounting her grievances, alleging, “VDM tried to sleep with me, but I refused.” Her words, laced with pain and anger, painted a picture of betrayal from someone she once held in high esteem.
VeryDarkMan, never one to retreat from a public confrontation, responded swiftly. In a video, he denied any wrongdoing, insisting some of the leaked chats were AI-generated fakes that had been flagged by Instagram.
He also accused Phyna of betrayal, particularly for sidelining him in meetings with Dangote representatives, and questioned her financial expectations, maintaining that both are adults and that he offered his support without conditions.
Determined to prove her case to the public, Phyna doubled down. She shared alleged private chats on her Instagram page as part of her defense, escalating the already heated exchange online.
The move was audacious, but it came at a price. Shortly after the posts went viral, her Instagram account was suspended, triggering mixed reactions from users. While some questioned whether she had voluntarily deactivated the page, others pointed to a platform enforcement action.
Phyna was quick to shut down the speculation. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, she addressed her followers directly, writing in her characteristic blunt style, “I didn’t deactivate my IG.” Deactivated, say what happened. It got suspended.
As though the clash with VeryDarkMan were not enough, the controversy has drawn in other voices. Davido’s aide, Israel DMW, waded into the fray with remarks about Phyna, prompting her to fire back angrily during a livestream, making explosive allegations about his personal life.
Meanwhile, Phyna has threatened to release even more evidence against VeryDarkMan, signaling that this feud is far from over, with or without her Instagram page.
At the time of filing this report, Instagram had not issued a public statement regarding the suspension. It remains unclear whether the account was taken down due to a reported post, a community guideline violation, or another reason entirely. Phyna has not indicated whether she plans to appeal the decision.
What is clear, however, is that a woman mourning the loss of her sister has found herself at the center of a social media storm that shows no signs of dying down, and Nigeria is watching every move.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Former BBNaija winner Phyna lost her Instagram account after sharing alleged chat screenshots with social media critic VeryDarkMan, whom she accused of demanding sex in exchange for helping her seek justice over her late sister’s death.
Hours after posting the evidence, Instagram suspended her page, a development she confirmed on X, dismissing claims that she had deactivated it herself.
