Police challenge VeryDarkMan to provide evidence of alleged collusion with kidnappers

The Nigeria Police Force has challenged social media personality Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to provide evidence supporting his allegations that some police officers stationed at checkpoints provide information to kidnappers and bandits to facilitate abductions for ransom.

The Force made the demand in a statement issued on Thursday, August 27, 2026, by its Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, following comments attributed to VDM at the recent Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Conference in Port Harcourt.

According to the police, VDM alleged that officers manning checkpoints along major highways identify wealthy travellers and subsequently relay information about their identities and movements to criminal gangs.

The Force described the allegation as serious but said it had not been supported by sufficient evidence.

Police Reject Allegation

The police strongly rejected the allegation, describing it as unsubstantiated and damaging to an institution responsible for protecting millions of Nigerians.

The Force said allegations of such magnitude require credible evidence before they can be established.

It maintained that police officers deployed to checkpoints and other strategic locations are tasked with preventing crime, detecting criminal activity and protecting travellers, rather than facilitating kidnapping operations.

The police also pointed to the risks faced by its personnel, noting that officers have been ambushed, attacked and killed by terrorists, kidnappers and other violent criminals.

Police stations, operational formations and security assets have also been targeted by criminal groups, the statement said.

‘Do Not Condemn Entire Force’

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The Force defended its personnel against what it described as blanket accusations, stressing that hundreds of thousands of police officers continue to work under difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions.

According to the police, many officers stationed at checkpoints operate in locations exposed to the same criminal elements they are expected to prevent from operating on Nigeria’s roads.

It said broad allegations portraying the entire institution as complicit in kidnapping could demoralise officers who perform their duties with integrity.

However, the Force acknowledged that individual officers could be investigated and sanctioned where evidence establishes misconduct.

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

It added that an entire institution should not be condemned on the basis of a public allegation that has not been supported by evidence.

VDM Asked to Submit Evidence

The police formally invited VDM to submit whatever evidence he relied upon in making the allegations.

The Force specifically requested evidence showing that police personnel at checkpoints identify wealthy individuals and subsequently transmit information about them to kidnappers for the purpose of facilitating their abduction.

It promised that any information provided would be treated with urgency and subjected to investigation.

The police also encouraged members of the public who possess credible evidence of police misconduct to use appropriate reporting channels rather than relying solely on public allegations

Accountability Versus Unverified Claims

The Force said it remained committed to investigating credible allegations of misconduct regardless of where they originate.

It stressed that officers found to have engaged in criminal or unethical conduct would be held accountable under the law.

At the same time, the police warned against what it described as unverified allegations capable of undermining public confidence in security institutions.

The Force urged members of the public to distinguish between legitimate criticism, which it said could strengthen accountability, and allegations unsupported by evidence, which it warned could undermine public trust and potentially affect national security.

The response places the allegations made by VDM squarely before the police authorities, who have now publicly challenged him to substantiate his claims.

The Force’s position is that any evidence of officers collaborating with kidnappers should be brought forward for investigation and possible prosecution, rather than allowing the allegations to remain untested in the public domain.

For now, the police maintain that the claims are unsubstantiated, while VDM has yet to publicly provide the specific evidence requested by the Force in the statement.

The police statement was signed by CSP Ani Iniedu, anipr, Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, and dated August 27, 2026.