Police invite VeryDarkMan to prove claim that officers tip off kidnappers at checkpoints

The Nigeria Police Force has formally invited social media activist Martins Vincent Otse — popularly known as VeryDarkMan — to provide evidence for his allegation that police officers at highway checkpoints relay travellers’ identities and movements to kidnappers and bandits.

As reported by Daily Post, Otse made the allegation while serving as a panelist at the 66th NBA Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, claiming checkpoint officers were actively facilitating abductions for ransom nationwide.

Force Public Relations Officer CSP Ani Iniedu rejected the claim in a statement on Thursday, saying checkpoint officers were deployed to prevent crime, not enable it. “These same police officers routinely confront the very criminal elements alleged to be receiving such information,” Iniedu said.

The police demanded Otse produce “without delay” any evidence of officers identifying wealthy travellers and transmitting that information to kidnappers, promising thorough investigation of any credible information provided.