CITIZENS COMPASS— The Nigeria Police Force has invited a popular social media activist, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.
Otse was invited to provide evidence backing his claim that some police officers at checkpoints collaborate with kidnappers and bandits.
The Force, in a statement on Thursday by its Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, said it had taken note of comments made by Otse at the recent Nigerian Bar Association conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
VeryDarkMan had alleged that police officers manning checkpoints along major highways identify wealthy travellers and relay information about their identities and movements to kidnappers, facilitating their abduction for ransom.
VeryDarkMan on Tuesday served as a panelist at the 66th Annual General Conference of the NBA, where he made allegations against officers of the NPF.
He alleged that police officers manning checkpoints along major highways in the country relay information to kidnappers and bandits regarding the identities and movements of travellers.
The Police described the allegation as serious and unsubstantiated, urging VeryDarkMan to submit any evidence for investigation.
The Force said officers at checkpoints are deployed to prevent crime and protect citizens, adding that any officer found to have compromised their duties would face disciplinary action and prosecution.
“Indeed, these same police officers routinely confront the very criminal elements alleged to be receiving such information.
“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.
“Any such information will be treated with urgency and investigated thoroughly.
“We encourage any member of the public with credible evidence of officer misconduct to come forward through these channels rather than through public allegations alone, so that appropriate action can be taken,” he stated.
