JUST IN: Police Deny Aiding Kidnappers, Invite VeryDarkMan to Substantiate Claim
KEHINDE ADELEYE
The Nigeria Police Force has invited social media critic Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, to provide evidence supporting his allegation that some police officers assist kidnappers by sharing information about travellers.
VeryDarkMan made the allegation on Tuesday while participating as a panelist at the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Port Harcourt.
During the session, the activist alleged that police officers manning checkpoints along major highways provide kidnappers and bandits with information about the identity and movements of travellers.
He claimed that such actions were contributing to the increasing incidence of abductions for ransom across the country.
Reacting to the allegation, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, dismissed the claim and challenged VeryDarkMan to substantiate it with evidence.
The police said officers deployed to checkpoints and other locations nationwide were assigned to prevent crime, detect criminal activities and protect citizens.
The Force noted that its personnel routinely confront the same criminal elements accused of receiving information from police officers.
“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 to kidnappers to facilitate their abduction.
The Force assured that any credible information provided would be treated with urgency and thoroughly investigated.
It also encouraged members of the public with evidence of police misconduct to report through official channels rather than relying solely on public allegations.
The development followed VeryDarkMan’s appearance at the NBA conference, where discussions focused on issues affecting governance, security and society.
