Social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has dared the Nigeria Police Force to charge him to court after the Force invited him to produce evidence for his allegation that some officers at checkpoints aid kidnappers.
The controversy started after VDM spoke at the Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt. He claimed that police officers manning checkpoints identify wealthy travellers and pass information about their movements to kidnappers to facilitate abductions for ransom.
The Nigeria Police Force, through Force Public Relations Officer CSP Ani Iniedu, rejected the claims on Thursday as “unsubstantiated and unfairly damaging” to the institution.
“The Nigeria Police Force hereby invites Mr. Martins Vincent Otse to produce, without delay, the evidence upon which he based these serious allegations, including any evidence that police personnel at checkpoints identify wealthy individuals and subsequently transmit information about them to kidnappers for the purpose of facilitating their abduction. Any such information will be treated with urgency and investigated thoroughly,” the police said.
The Force added that officers at checkpoints are deployed to prevent crime and protect citizens, not to enable kidnapping, and that many personnel have themselves been ambushed, attacked and killed by criminals.
VDM responded in a video, refusing to hand over any evidence at the police station.
“I’m not going to be giving the police my evidence. Why would I do that? I would be charged to court, and I would turn down the evidence in court,” he said.
He challenged the police to take the next step immediately.
“So when I get to your office, you charge me to court. I can go to court on that same day. My lawyers are on ground. Let’s meet in court. The evidence will be tendered there.”
VDM insisted he stands by his words.
“I’m proud of myself that right in their faces I said what I had to say and to tell them that the insecurity going on in Nigeria, it is aided by them. I stand by my words.”
The exchange has intensified an already heated public conversation about trust in security agencies. Police have invited VDM to submit proof through official channels, while the activist maintains that a courtroom, not a police office, is where he will present whatever evidence he has.