The Nigeria Police Force has challenged social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to provide evidence backing his allegation that some police officers manning checkpoints on major highways relay information about travellers to kidnappers and bandits.
The Force made the demand in a statement issued on Thursday by its Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, following comments made by VDM at the recent Nigerian Bar Association Conference in Port Harcourt.
According to the Police, the allegation is serious and requires corresponding evidence, insisting that the claim, as presented, was unsubstantiated and unfairly damaging to an institution responsible for protecting Nigerians.
The Force said police personnel deployed to checkpoints and other locations across the country were assigned to prevent crime, detect criminal activities and protect citizens, rather than facilitate kidnapping.
It noted that police officers routinely confront criminal elements, including kidnappers and terrorists, adding that several personnel had been ambushed, attacked and killed in the line of duty.
The Police also said its stations, formations and operational assets had been targeted by violent criminals.
The Force said blanket accusations against its personnel could undermine the morale of officers who perform their duties under difficult and dangerous conditions.
It noted that the Nigeria Police Force comprises hundreds of thousands of officers, many of whom operate at checkpoints exposed to the same criminal elements they are tasked with keeping off the nation’s roads.
The statement, however, acknowledged that individual officers found to have compromised their duties would face disciplinary action 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,” the Force said.
It stressed that the entire institution should not be condemned based on allegations made without supporting evidence.
Police Ask VDM to Substantiate Allegations
The Force formally invited VDM to provide evidence supporting his claims, particularly any information showing that police officers at checkpoints identify wealthy travellers and subsequently pass their details or movements to kidnappers to facilitate their abduction.
“Any such information will be treated with urgency and investigated thoroughly,” the Police said.
The Force also encouraged members of the public with credible evidence of police misconduct to report such cases through appropriate channels to enable investigations and necessary action.
Reaffirming its commitment to accountability, the Police said it would continue to investigate credible allegations of misconduct regardless of how they arise.
It, however, cautioned against what it described as unverified allegations capable of undermining public confidence in national security institutions.
The Force urged Nigerians to distinguish between legitimate criticism, which it said strengthens accountability, and unsubstantiated claims that could potentially affect public trust and national security.
The statement was signed by CSP Ani Iniedu, anipr, Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, on August 27, 2026.
