- The Nigeria Police Force rejected VDM’s claim that officers at checkpoints share travellers’ details with kidnappers and bandits
- VDM reportedly made the allegation at the Nigerian Bar Association Conference in Port Harcourt
- Police spokesperson CSP Ani Iniedu described the allegation as unsubstantiated and called on VDM to submit supporting evidence
FCT, Abuja – The Nigeria Police Force has publicly challenged social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, known widely as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to back up his claim that some police officers at highway checkpoints pass information about wealthy travellers to kidnappers and bandits.
Legit.ng reports that Police spokesperson CSP Ani Iniedu issued the challenge in a statement on Thursday morning, August 27, describing the allegation as “unsubstantiated” and harmful to an institution responsible for protecting millions of Nigerians.
VDM reportedly made the claim at the recent Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Conference in Port Harcourt, alleging that officers manning checkpoints along major highways identify high-value travellers and relay their movements to criminal groups.
Source: Facebook
Police Defend Checkpoint Officers
The Force said officers at checkpoints and across the country are deployed specifically to prevent crime, detect criminal activity and keep citizens safe. It pointed to the dangers those officers face daily, noting that many have been attacked and killed by kidnappers, terrorists and other violent criminals. Police stations, formations and operational assets had also come under attack by criminal groups, the Force added.
The statement urged the public not to paint all officers with the same brush. “The Nigeria Police Force is made up of hundreds of thousands of officers who report for duty daily under difficult, underfunded, and often dangerous conditions,” it read, adding that many of those deployed to checkpoints operate in areas exposed to the very criminals they are trying to stop.
Police Invite VDM to Submit Evidence
While pushing back on the allegation, the Force made clear it would act on any credible information of officer misconduct. “Any such information will be treated with urgency and investigated thoroughly,” the statement said.
The police specifically invited VDM to come forward and submit whatever evidence he holds. Officers found to have compromised their duties would face appropriate punishment, the Force said, but it maintained that the institution as a whole should not be condemned on the basis of an unverified claim.
Watch VeryDarkMan’s allegation below via X:
Members of the public with credible evidence of misconduct were also encouraged to report through the appropriate channels to enable investigations and legal action.
The police drew a line between criticism that promotes accountability, which it said it welcomes, and allegations that could damage public trust in national security institutions without any factual foundation.
Read the police’s full statement on VeryDarkMan below via X:
More to come…
Source: Legit.ng