Explosive Showdown: VeryDarkMan Dares Police to Court Over Kidnapper Allegations

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) recently faced criticism from Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, for inviting social critic Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), as a panelist at its annual conference. Falana, speaking on Channels Television, asserted that past NBA conferences were never “circus shows” and that discussions on national security should feature individuals with demonstrable experience in the country’s security architecture. He likened VDM's invitation to bringing someone without professional experience to speak to journalists about press freedom, emphasizing the need for experts who have made meaningful contributions to the security sector.

During a session titled “Known Gunmen or Unknown Gunmen” at the NBA summit in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, VDM discussed his experiences covering insecurity and visiting communities affected by violence. It was at this conference that he made serious allegations, claiming that men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) aid kidnappers in carrying out their nefarious activities. Specifically, VDM alleged that police officers at checkpoints identify wealthy individuals and pass their information to kidnappers, and that police even rent their firearms to criminals.

The Nigeria Police Force firmly rejected these allegations, terming them unsubstantiated and unfairly damaging to the institution. NPF spokesperson Ani Iniedu stated that the “gravity” of such accusations demanded a corresponding standard of credible evidence, which, according to the Force, had not been provided. Iniedu argued that sweeping public accusations against officers who risk their lives to protect Nigerians were demoralizing and unfair, especially to the majority who serve with integrity. The Force reiterated that police personnel at checkpoints are deployed to prevent crime and protect citizens, often confronting the very criminals VDM accused them of aiding.

In response to the police invitation to substantiate his claims, VDM stated he would only tender any evidence in court. He called on the NPF to charge him, reiterating his controversial assertion: “I SAID WHAT I SAID, you will get your evidence when I am charged to court I repeat THE POLICE ARE THE UNKNOWN gunmen and they aid kidnappings and the military are also the unknown gunmen…CHARGE ME TO COURT YOU WILL GET THE EVIDENCE THERE.”

While rejecting the blanket accusations, the NPF acknowledged that individual officers found to have compromised their duties would face disciplinary action and prosecution where necessary. However, they stressed that an entire institution should not be condemned without concrete proof. The Force formally invited Mr. Martins Vincent Otse to produce, without delay, the evidence upon which he based these serious allegations, promising urgent and thorough investigation of any submitted information. They also encouraged members of the public with credible evidence of police misconduct to report such cases through appropriate channels.