The Nigeria Police Force has asked social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, to provide evidence to support his allegation that some police officers at checkpoints provide information about travellers to kidnappers.
The Force made the demand in a statement signed by its Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, on Thursday.
VeryDarkMan had made the allegation at the Nigerian Bar Association Conference in Port Harcourt, claiming that police officers stationed at checkpoints along major highways identify wealthy travellers and relay information about their movements to kidnappers and bandits, thereby facilitating abductions for ransom.
Reacting to the allegation, the police described it as “unsubstantiated and unfairly damaging” to the institution.
The Force said officers deployed to checkpoints were there to “prevent crime, detect criminal activity and protect citizens, not to facilitate kidnapping.”
It added that police personnel routinely confront criminal groups operating along the highways and have themselves been victims of attacks.
According to the statement, “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.”
The Force also warned against making blanket accusations against its personnel, saying hundreds of thousands of officers work under difficult and dangerous conditions.
“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,” the statement said.
However, the police acknowledged that individual officers could be involved in misconduct, stressing that those found to have compromised their duties would face disciplinary action and prosecution.
“Where individual officers are found to have compromised their duty, they will face the full weight of internal discipline and the law,” the Force said.
The police subsequently invited VeryDarkMan to submit the evidence backing his claims.
The Force said it was particularly interested in any evidence showing that officers identify wealthy individuals at checkpoints and subsequently pass their details to kidnappers to facilitate their abduction.
“Any such information will be treated with urgency and investigated thoroughly,” the statement said.
The police further urged members of the public who have credible evidence of misconduct by its personnel to report through appropriate channels to allow investigations to be conducted.
The Force said it remained committed to investigating credible allegations of misconduct but cautioned against what it described as unverified claims capable of undermining public confidence in security institutions.