Police Invite VDM to Prove Allegations of Officers Aiding Kidnappers

The Nigeria Police Force has invited social media personality Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to provide evidence backing his allegation that some police officers at checkpoints supply kidnappers with information about travellers.

The invitation followed comments attributed to VDM at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Conference in Port Harcourt, where he alleged that police personnel manning checkpoints on major highways identify wealthy travellers and pass information about their movements to kidnappers and bandits for ransom abductions.

In a statement signed yesterday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, CSP Ani Iniedu, the police rejected the allegation as unsubstantiated, but said any credible evidence provided would be investigated.

The Force said allegations of such magnitude required corresponding evidence, stressing that its officers deployed to checkpoints were responsible for preventing crime, detecting criminal activity and protecting motorists and other members of the public.

“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 identify wealthy individuals at checkpoints and subsequently transmit information about them to kidnappers to facilitate their abduction.

It assured that any evidence presented would be treated with urgency and subjected to thorough investigation.

The Force also defended its personnel against what it described as blanket accusations, noting that hundreds of thousands of police officers work daily under difficult, poorly resourced and often dangerous conditions.

It said officers stationed at checkpoints were themselves exposed to attacks by the criminals they were deployed to prevent, adding that personnel had been ambushed, killed and targeted alongside police stations, formations and operational assets.

According to the statement, while individual officers found to have compromised their duties would face disciplinary measures and prosecution where necessary, the entire institution should not be condemned based on allegations made without evidence.

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

The police further urged members of the public who have evidence of misconduct by its personnel to report through appropriate channels instead of relying solely on public allegations.

The Force said it remained committed to transparency and accountability and would continue to investigate credible complaints regardless of how they were raised.

It, however, warned against making or circulating unverified allegations concerning national security institutions, saying such claims could undermine public confidence and potentially affect national security.

The police said legitimate criticism remained necessary for accountability but should be distinguished from allegations that had not been supported by evidence.

It maintained that the integrity of the institution and the sacrifices of its personnel should not be undermined by unverified claims, while reiterating its willingness to investigate any credible evidence of police complicity in criminal activities.