Social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, has said he will not submit to the police the evidence backing his allegation that some security personnel aid kidnapping and banditry in Nigeria.

Otse, who reacted on Thursday to the invitation extended to him by the Nigeria Police Force, said he was prepared to honour the invitation but would prefer to present his evidence in court.

“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 posted on his Instagram page.

The police had earlier invited Otse to provide evidence backing his allegation that police officers manning checkpoints identify wealthy travellers and pass information about them to kidnappers to facilitate their abduction.

The Force described the allegation as serious, unsubstantiated and damaging to the institution, while saying any evidence presented by the activist would be treated with urgency and thoroughly investigated.

Reacting to the invitation, Otse said his lawyers were ready and challenged the police to charge him to court if they believed he had committed 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.

The activist maintained his earlier allegation that security agencies were aiding insecurity in the country, saying the police, military, immigration and customs knew what was happening.

“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.

Otse also questioned the continued prevalence of banditry, terrorism and kidnapping despite 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.

He said he was ready to face the police and military in court over his allegations, adding that he would continue speaking out on issues affecting the country.

“But like I said, why would I want to give you my evidence? I wouldn’t do that. Who would take you to court? You understand? When you’re ready, I’m ready. Face the love, don’t play,” he said.

Otse also accused Nigerians of defending security agencies after his allegations, despite routinely criticising the police and military over insecurity.

He said his comments were aimed at holding public institutions accountable and maintained 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.

The activist, however, acknowledged the poor welfare of police officers, saying the government needed to improve their working conditions to strengthen security in the country.

He said, “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.”

Otse’s latest comments came weeks after he accused the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2 Command, Moshood Jimoh, of corruption in connection with the investigation of the case involving businessman Ahmed Tajudeen Akanbi.

The police subsequently confirmed that Jimoh had been invited for questioning as part of an internal administrative review and also invited Otse to substantiate his allegations.

The Force said the criminal matter linked to the claims was already before a court following advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.

Otse said the police had initially taken weeks to respond to his allegations against Jimoh but moved quickly to issue a statement over his recent comments on checkpoint kidnappings.

He alleged that he had released evidence relating to the case, including claims of torture of suspects, but that the police did not initially respond until he released additional material.

The activist also repeated his controversial claim that politicians use cattle to launder money, arguing that Fulani herders were victims of political manipulation.

He concluded by saying he was ready to face the police whenever they chose to proceed against him.

“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.”

Source: punchng.com

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The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, has commenced an unannounced operational inspection of police divisions and formations across the state to assess officers’ readiness, discipline and working conditions.

The exercise, which began on Wednesday, saw the commissioner inspect the Area Command, Metro, Ilorin, and 12 police divisional headquarters within the Ilorin metropolis.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday.

According to the statement, the inspection was designed to enable the commissioner to personally assess the professional disposition and commitment of officers, identify operational challenges and capability gaps, and obtain a first-hand assessment of the realities confronting personnel across the command.

During the visits, the CP interacted with officers, assessed their level of preparedness and reviewed security arrangements at the various formations.

He subsequently directed personnel to strengthen operational effectiveness and public safety, with particular emphasis on heightened vigilance and adequate security around police facilities.

“Station guards must remain alert, observant and responsive at all times because they constitute the first line of defence and security for every police facility,” Adekimi said.

The commissioner also charged officers to embrace proactive and intelligence-driven approaches to crime prevention, stressing that professionalism, accountability and community policing would remain central to his operational strategy.

“Our approach to policing must be proactive and intelligence-driven. Every officer must remain professionally committed, disciplined, vigilant and responsive to the security needs of the communities we serve,” he said.

Adekimi added that officers must maintain the highest standards of conduct in their interactions with members of the public.

He warned that the command would not tolerate misconduct, corruption, extortion or other unethical practices among its personnel.

“We have zero tolerance for misconduct, corruption, extortion and every other unethical practice. Any officer found culpable, as well as any beneficiary or end-user of such corrupt practices, will face appropriate disciplinary and legal action in accordance with extant laws and regulations,” the CP said.

Adekimi said the inspection would continue across police divisions, formations and other operational locations in the state without prior notice.

“The unannounced nature of this exercise is deliberate. It will enable us to objectively assess operational readiness, discipline, personnel conduct and compliance with established standards,” he said.

He directed officers and other personnel across the command to remain at their duty posts and sustain constant operational readiness.

“Every officer must remain at his or her duty post, maintain constant operational readiness and uphold the core values of the Nigeria Police Force,” Adekimi said.

The commissioner assured residents that the command would continue to pursue proactive policing and effective crime prevention to protect lives and property across the state.

Source: punchng.com

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The Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Immigration Service have pledged to strengthen their collaboration on border security, migration management and responses to emerging threats in Yobe State.

The commitment was made on Wednesday, when the Commander, Headquarters Sector 2, Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, Brigadier General Edet Effiong, received the newly posted Comptroller of the NIS Yobe State Command, Comptroller IZ Abubakar, during a courtesy visit to the Sector Headquarters in Damaturu.

Speaking during the meeting, Effiong stressed the importance of sustained cooperation between security agencies in maintaining security along Nigeria’s borders.

He said, “Effective information sharing, coordinated border surveillance and closer engagement with border communities” were necessary to disrupt terrorism, human trafficking, smuggling and irregular migration.

The Sector Commander said a well-coordinated security architecture remained essential to preventing criminal and terrorist elements from exploiting gaps across the border environment.

He added that Operation HADIN KAI was ready to support stronger collaboration with the Immigration Service and other security stakeholders.

According to Effiong, “enhanced coordination, professionalism and appropriate use of technology” would contribute significantly to improving border monitoring, strengthening operational effectiveness and advancing Nigeria’s broader national security objectives.

He also emphasised the importance of working closely with communities in border areas to identify threats and strengthen security measures.

Responding, Comptroller Abubakar commended the Nigerian Army for its continued support and cooperation with the Immigration Service.

He said the NIS would work to “deepen the existing synergy, enhance personnel capacity and operational readiness” to improve border security operations across Yobe.

Abubakar also pledged to strengthen border surveillance and migration control, saying the agency remained committed to working with the military and other security stakeholders to achieve shared security objectives.

The two officials agreed on the need for closer coordination, improved information sharing and collective action to secure Nigeria’s borders and protect border communities.

The visit concluded with the signing of the visitors’ book, presentation of souvenirs and a group photograph.

The engagement reaffirmed the commitment of Operation HADIN KAI and the Immigration Service to closer cooperation in securing Nigeria’s borders and sustaining peace and stability across Yobe State and the wider Northeast.

Source: punchng.com

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