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Social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has challenged the Nigeria Police Force to take him to court over his allegation that some security personnel aid kidnapping and banditry in Nigeria.
VeryDarkMan made the statement on Thursday while responding to a police invitation asking him to provide evidence supporting his claim that police officers at checkpoints identify wealthy travellers and pass information about them to kidnappers.
The activist said he was willing to honour the invitation but would not surrender his evidence to the police, insisting that he would present it before a court if criminal proceedings were instituted against him.
“I’m not going to be giving the police my evidence. Why would I do that? I would be charged to court, and I would turn down the evidence in court,” he said in a video shared on his Instagram page.
The police had described VeryDarkMan’s allegation as serious, unsubstantiated and damaging to the reputation of the institution. The Force said it was prepared to investigate any evidence he provided.
Reacting, VeryDarkMan said his lawyers were prepared to represent him and urged the police to proceed with legal action if they believed his comments amounted to an offence.
“So when I get to your office, you charge me to court. I can go to court on that same day. My lawyers are on ground,” he said.
VeryDarkMan maintained that security agencies, including the police and military, were contributing to the persistence of insecurity in the country.
“It is the police people that aid insecurity. It is the military men that benefit from insecurity. That’s why it can never stop,” he alleged.
He also questioned why kidnapping, banditry and terrorism continued despite substantial government spending on security.
“How much is your budget to battle insecurity? How much is your budget? Go and look at your budget and tell me why we still have bandits and terrorists kidnapping people,” he said.
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The activist said he would continue to speak publicly about issues affecting Nigeria and insisted that he stood by his allegations.
“I’m proud of myself that right in their faces I said what I had to say and to tell them that the insecurity going on in Nigeria, it is aided by them. I stand by my words,” he said.
However, VeryDarkMan acknowledged the challenges faced by police officers and called on the government to improve their welfare.
“There is no welfare for the Nigerian police. If you want Nigeria’s security to be tightened, you have to take care of our policemen. Take care of them,” he said.
The latest development follows an earlier dispute between Otse and the police over allegations involving Assistant Inspector-General of Police Moshood Jimoh and the investigation of a case involving businessman Ahmed Tajudeen Akanbi.
The Force previously confirmed that Jimoh had been invited for questioning as part of an internal administrative review. It also invited Otse to substantiate his allegations.
According to the police, the criminal matter connected to the allegations was already before a court following advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
VeryDarkMan criticised what he described as a delayed response by the police to his earlier allegations, saying the Force only reacted more quickly after he released additional material.
On the latest invitation, he remained defiant, saying he was ready to face the police and military in court.
“For the police, I’m very, very ready for you guys. 100 per cent. I’m ready to show you that you people aid insecurity. You people aid banditry and terrorism in this country,” he said.
“Let’s meet in court. The evidence will be tendered there.”
