Police invite activist to prove checkpoint kidnapping allegations

The Nigeria Police Force has formally invited social media activist Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, to provide evidence for his allegations that police officers at checkpoints collude with kidnappers and bandits. The invitation was issued in a statement on August 27, 2026, by the Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, in response to comments Otse made at the Nigerian Bar Association's annual conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The police described the allegations as serious, unsubstantiated, and unfairly damaging to the institution. The statement said the force firmly rejects the claims and that the standard of evidence required for such gravity has not been met.