Police invite VeryDarkMan, demand evidence of checkpoint kidnapping claims

The Nigeria Police Force has invited social media activist Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, to provide evidence supporting his claim that some police officers at checkpoints collaborate with kidnappers and bandits. In a statement released on Thursday by the Force's Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, the police acknowledged receiving Otse's comments at the recent Nigerian Bar Association's conference in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.

Otse alleged that police officers at highways identify wealthy travelers and inform kidnappers about their identities and movements, facilitating their abduction for ransom. The police described the allegation as serious, unsubstantiated, and damaging to the institution. They stated, "The Nigeria Police Force firmly rejects these allegations as unsubstantiated and unfairly damaging to an institution entrusted with the protection of millions of Nigerians."

The Force emphasized that any evidence presented by Otse would be investigated promptly and thoroughly, urging the public to provide credible evidence of police misconduct instead of relying on public allegations. The police maintained that their officers' primary mission is to prevent crime, detect criminal activities, and protect citizens, not to facilitate kidnapping.

They also highlighted that police personnel routinely face attacks and casualties while confronting criminal elements and warned against blanket accusations that could demoralize their personnel and undermine public trust in the institution.