The Nigeria Police Force has invited social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, to provide evidence supporting allegations he made about police personnel and kidnappings in Nigeria.
VeryDarkMan made the claims on Tuesday during a panel session at the Nigerian Bar Association’s 66th Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Speaking during the session, the activist alleged that some police officers stationed at checkpoints along major highways leak the identities and movements of travellers to kidnappers and bandits.
He claimed that such security breaches by law enforcement personnel have contributed to the increasing cases of ransom kidnappings across the country.
Reacting to the allegations, the Nigeria Police Force dismissed the claims and challenged VeryDarkMan to substantiate them.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, said police officers deployed to checkpoints and other strategic locations across the country were assigned there to prevent crime, detect criminal activities and protect citizens.
The police spokesperson stressed that officers at checkpoints routinely confront the same criminal elements accused of receiving information about travellers.
Iniedu said the force was therefore inviting VeryDarkMan to provide evidence supporting his allegations without delay.
“Accordingly, the Nigeria Police Force hereby invites Mr. Martins Vincent Otse to produce, without delay, the evidence upon which he based these serious allegations,” the statement said.
The police specifically requested any evidence showing that officers at checkpoints identify wealthy individuals and subsequently pass their details or movements to kidnappers to facilitate their abduction.
According to the force, any credible information provided by the activist would be treated urgently and subjected to thorough investigation.
The police also encouraged members of the public with credible evidence of misconduct by officers to report such cases through official channels rather than relying solely on public allegations.
VeryDarkMan’s appearance at the NBA conference had already generated controversy before his allegations against the police.
The decision by the Nigerian Bar Association to invite the social media activist as a panellist attracted criticism from some lawyers and members of the public who questioned why a personality without formal legal training was given a platform at a major gathering of legal practitioners.
Chidi Lloyd, chairman of Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State and a former law lecturer, also criticised the invitation.
Lloyd argued that the NBA conference should concentrate on serious legal, justice and professional issues.
VeryDarkMan, however, defended his participation, explaining that he was not invited to teach lawyers about the law.
He said his role was to share his experiences and perspectives on insecurity during a session examining Nigeria’s security challenges.
The activist, who describes himself as the “Ratel President,” is widely known for outspoken and controversial commentary on social issues, governance, security and alleged injustice.
The latest police invitation now puts the spotlight on the evidence behind his claims, with the Nigeria Police Force saying it is prepared to investigate any credible information that can substantiate the allegations.
