The Nigeria Police Force has invited social media critic Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, to substantiate a claim he made during a speech at the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, conference in Port Harcourt.
VeryDarkMan on Tuesday served as a panelist at the 66th Annual General Conference of the NBA, where he made allegations against officers of the NPF.
He alleged that police officers manning checkpoints along major highways in the country relay information to kidnappers and bandits regarding the identities and movements of travellers.
According to the activist, the actions of the officers have been facilitating abductions for ransom across the nation.
Responding, a statement issued on Thursday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, denied the allegation.
The police explained that personnel deployed to checkpoints and other locations nationwide were there to prevent crime, detect criminal activity and protect citizens, not to facilitate kidnapping.
“Indeed, these same police officers routinely confront the very criminal elements alleged to be receiving such information.
“Accordingly, 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.
“We encourage any member of the public with credible evidence of officer misconduct to come forward through these channels rather than through public allegations alone, so that appropriate action can be taken,” he stated.
