By Emmanuel Thomas l Thursday, August 27, 2026
ABUJA — The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has formally rejected allegations of officer complicity in highway abductions made by social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as “VeryDarkMan” (VDM).
In an official statement released in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, the police high command officially invited the activist to immediately present verifiable proof to back his sweeping claims.
Addressing the controversy sparked by Otse’s presentation in Port Harcourt, CSP Ani Iniedu declared that allegations of such magnitude require a corresponding standard of proof—a standard the Force says has not been met.
”The Nigeria Police Force firmly rejects these allegations as unsubstantiated and unfairly damaging to an institution entrusted with the protection of millions of Nigerians,” Iniedu stated. “Allegations of this gravity demand a corresponding standard of evidence, and that standard has not yet been met”.
The Force PR Officer clarified that personnel posted across nationwide checkpoints exist solely to prevent and detect crime, stressing that officers themselves frequently fall victim to violent ambushes on these hazardous corridors.
”Indeed, these same police officers routinely confront the very criminal elements alleged to be receiving such information,” the statement added. “Police personnel have been ambushed, attacked and killed, while police stations, formations and operational assets have equally been targeted by terrorists, kidnappers and other violent criminals”.
Defence of Personnel and Open Invitation
Defending the thousands of officers serving under tough economic and security circumstances, the Force warned against blanket public statements that paint the entire institution with a broad brush.
”The Nigeria Police Force is made up of hundreds of thousands of officers who report for duty daily under difficult, underfunded, and often dangerous conditions,” the statement emphasized.
“Sweeping public accusations that paint the entire Force as complicit in the crimes it exists to prevent are deeply demoralizing to these officers and unfair to the majority who serve with integrity”.
Consequently, the NPF urged Otse to assist law enforcement by submitting concrete proof.
”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,” Iniedu declared, promising that any credible submission would be investigated thoroughly and handled with urgency.
The clash between law enforcement and the social commentator comes amid long-standing public anxiety regarding high-profile abductions across major transport corridors, notably along the Abuja-Lokoja and Lagos-Abuja routes.
During a heated panel session at the NBA Conference on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, VeryDarkMan stirred intense debate when he argued that the proliferation of checkpoints has failed to curtail banditry. He asserted that officers force motorists to wind down windows and open vehicle trunks, allegedly assessing their economic status before tipping off waiting gangs.
The claim drew an immediate counter from police leadership present at the confab. Commissioner of Police in charge of Safer Highway (Department of Operations), Silas Aremu, acknowledged that while bad eggs exist in any organization, criminals actively observe police routines rather than operate on insider tips from officers.
The Police high command urged citizens to distinguish between legitimate constructive criticism aimed at strengthening accountability and unverified public claims that undermine national security and public trust.
