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Nigeria Police challenge VeryDarkMan over kidnapping collusion claims
Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, has sparked controversy following his participation in the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt. During a session on national security, Otse alleged that police officers at highway checkpoints identify wealthy travellers and relay their information to kidnappers and bandits to facilitate abductions.
The Nigeria Police Force has officially rejected these claims, describing them as “unsubstantiated and unfairly damaging.” The Force issued a statement through spokesperson CSP Ani Iniedu, challenging Otse to provide credible evidence for his allegations. The police maintained that their personnel work under dangerous conditions to protect citizens and that blanket accusations of complicity are demoralising.
In response, Otse has refused to hand over evidence to the police, stating he would only present it if the matter is taken to court.
The activist's presence at the conference has also drawn criticism from legal professionals. Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana questioned the NBA's decision to platform a social media commentator on specialized topics like national security, arguing that speakers should possess relevant expertise or prior contributions to the country's security architecture.
Entities
Federal Government of Nigeria · Femi Falana · Martins Otse · Martins Vincent Otse · Nigeria Police Force · Nigerian Bar Association · Port Harcourt · VeryDarkMan
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Nigerian Bar Association's past conferences were not circus shows. chronicle.ng · osundefender.com · tribuneonlineng.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Elements within the government and security agencies benefit from the country's insecurity. osundefender.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] Speakers addressing national security should have contributed to the country's security architecture. chronicle.ng · osundefender.com · tribuneonlineng.com · thecitizenng.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Politics is at the root of insecurity in Nigeria. osundefender.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Martins Vincent Otse refused to provide evidence to the police, stating he would only present it in court. www.naijanews.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Nigeria Police Force has invited social media activist Martins Vincent Otse to provide evidence for his claims. ait.live · newscentraltv.com · prnigeria.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] Police officers at highway checkpoints identify wealthy travellers and relay their information to kidnappers and bandits. ait.live · nationalaccordnewspaper.com · newscentraltv.com · www.naijanews.com · osundefender.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Nigeria Police Force rejected the allegations of officer collusion with kidnappers as unsubstantiated and damaging. ait.live · nationalaccordnewspaper.com · newscentraltv.com · prnigeria.com