The Nigeria Police Force has challenged social commentator and activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, to provide evidence backing his allegation that some police officers stationed at checkpoints on major highways provide information about travellers to kidnappers and bandits.
The Force said the allegation, made by VDM at the recent Nigerian Bar Association Conference in Port Harcourt, was serious and required concrete evidence to support it.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, the police said it took allegations of misconduct involving its personnel seriously but rejected what it described as sweeping and unsubstantiated claims against the institution.
According to the statement, police officers deployed to checkpoints across the country are responsible for preventing crime, detecting criminal activities and protecting motorists and other members of the public.
“The Nigeria Police Force firmly rejects these allegations as unsubstantiated and unfairly damaging to an institution entrusted with the protection of millions of Nigerians,” the statement said.
The Force noted that its personnel routinely confront kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements, adding that several police officers had been ambushed, attacked and killed while carrying out their duties.
It also said police stations, formations and operational assets had been targeted by terrorists, kidnappers and other violent criminals.
Police defend officers
The Force urged the public to distinguish between individual cases of misconduct and the activities of the institution as a whole.
It said the Nigeria Police Force comprises hundreds of thousands of officers who work daily under difficult and often dangerous conditions, particularly those deployed to checkpoints and other vulnerable locations.
The police argued that portraying the entire Force as being involved in kidnapping could demoralise officers who carry out their duties with integrity.
The statement, however, stressed that any officer found to have compromised his or her duties would face disciplinary measures and prosecution where necessary.
“Where individual officers are found to have compromised their duty, they will face the full weight of internal discipline and the law. But an entire institution should not be condemned on the strength of a public statement made without evidence,” the Force said.
Force asks VDM to submit evidence
The police consequently invited VDM to submit the evidence upon which he based his claims.
The Force specifically asked him to provide any evidence showing that police personnel at checkpoints identify wealthy travellers and subsequently pass their identities or movements to kidnappers to facilitate abductions.
The police said any credible information provided would be treated urgently and subjected to a thorough investigation.
It also encouraged members of the public with evidence of police misconduct to report such cases through appropriate channels rather than relying solely on public allegations.
The Force reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and accountability, saying credible allegations of misconduct would continue to be investigated regardless of where they originated.
However, it cautioned against making or circulating unverified allegations concerning national security institutions, stressing that while legitimate criticism could strengthen accountability, unsubstantiated claims could undermine public confidence and potentially affect national security.
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