Police challenge VDM to prove officers are aiding kidnappers

Police challenge VDM to prove officers are aiding kidnappers

The Nigeria Police Force has challenged social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to provide evidence supporting his allegation that some police officers stationed at checkpoints share information about travellers with kidnappers and bandits.

VDM made the allegation while speaking at the ongoing Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where he raised concerns about the persistent insecurity and kidnapping incidents affecting Nigerians.

The activist alleged that some police officers manning checkpoints along major highways identify wealthy travellers and allegedly pass information about their identities, vehicles and movements to criminal groups.

According to VDM, such information could enable kidnappers and bandits to identify potential victims and target them for abduction and ransom.

He also questioned the continued use of the term “unknown gunmen” by security authorities when reporting attacks, arguing that security agencies should be able to gather sufficient intelligence to identify perpetrators and prevent further attacks.

The allegations prompted a response from the police, which called on VDM to substantiate his claims with verifiable evidence.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, said the police were ready to investigate any credible information provided by the activist.

“The Nigeria Police Force hereby invites Mr. Martins Vincent Otse to produce, without delay, the evidence upon which he based these serious allegations,” the Force said.

The police specifically asked VDM to provide evidence showing that officers at checkpoints identify wealthy individuals and subsequently transmit information about them to kidnappers or other criminal groups to facilitate their abduction.

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The Force said allegations involving police personnel are treated seriously, adding that any officer found to have compromised their duties would be subjected to disciplinary procedures and prosecution where necessary.

The police, however, rejected what it described as sweeping allegations against the institution, stressing that officers deployed to checkpoints are assigned to prevent crime, detect criminal activity and protect road users.

The Force said many police personnel routinely confront kidnappers, bandits, terrorists and other violent criminals, sometimes at considerable personal risk.

It noted that several officers have been ambushed, attacked and killed while carrying out security operations, while police stations, formations and other operational facilities have also been targeted by criminal groups.

The Force further argued that the conditions under which many officers operate should be taken into account when assessing the performance of the institution.

According to the police, hundreds of thousands of officers work across the country in difficult and dangerous environments, including locations where criminal groups remain active.

It warned that portraying the entire police institution as complicit in kidnapping without supporting evidence could undermine public confidence and demoralise officers who are performing their duties legitimately.

However, the Force stressed that this position does not mean individual officers accused of misconduct would be protected.

It said officers found to have collaborated with criminals or otherwise compromised their responsibilities would face the appropriate disciplinary and legal consequences.

“Where individual officers are found to have compromised their duty, they will face the full weight of internal discipline and the law,” the police stated.

The Force also encouraged members of the public with credible information about police misconduct to report such cases through the appropriate channels.

It said reports backed by evidence would allow investigators to establish the facts, identify any officers involved and take appropriate action.

The police maintained that legitimate criticism of security agencies remains acceptable but should be distinguished from allegations presented as facts without evidence.

The latest development comes amid continuing concerns over kidnapping and highway insecurity in Nigeria, with travellers, communities and motorists in several parts of the country facing threats from armed criminal groups.

Speaking at the NBA conference, VDM called for a more proactive approach to tackling insecurity, arguing that security agencies should use intelligence to prevent attacks rather than rely mainly on responses after victims have been abducted.

The police response has now placed the focus on evidence, with the Force challenging VDM to substantiate his allegation that checkpoint officers deliberately identify potential kidnapping victims and pass their details to criminal groups.

The Force said it remains committed to transparency, accountability and the investigation of credible allegations, while insisting that no individual officer found to have aided criminal activity would be shielded from the law.

Police challenge VDM to prove officers are aiding kidnappers