The Nigeria Police Force has confirmed that both social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, and Assistant Inspector-General of Police Moshood Jimoh have been drawn into a formal investigation process, following public allegations the activist raised against the senior officer.
According to a statement issued Tuesday by police spokesperson CSP Ani Iniedu, the Assistant Inspector-General overseeing the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja has formally invited AIG Jimoh for questioning in connection with the claims. In parallel, the Force CID issued its own letter of invitation to Otse on July 30, asking him to appear and substantiate the allegations he has made publicly.
The Force framed both moves as evidence of its internal accountability mechanisms functioning as designed, stressing that credible allegations of misconduct get investigated regardless of an officer’s rank or a complainant’s public profile.
At the center of the controversy are VDM’s recent public comments concerning the AIG overseeing Zone 2 in Lagos, tied to an ongoing criminal matter. The police were careful to draw a firm line here, noting that the underlying criminal case had already been investigated and formally filed in court following advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, meaning it now sits squarely within the judicial process rather than public debate. “The Force will not try this case in the media, nor will it allow its outcome to be shaped by public campaigns or commentary seeking to prejudge the officers or parties involved,” the statement said.
The Force reiterated that its disciplinary procedures operate under a consistent legal framework, governed by the Constitution, the Police Act 2020, Police Regulations, and Force Orders, applying uniformly across ranks. At the same time, the statement acknowledged the public’s constitutional right to free expression and to hold institutions accountable, while cautioning that this right doesn’t extend to defamation or the spread of unverified claims.
Police urged Otse specifically to honour the CID’s invitation and take part in the investigation process, while allowing the courts to handle the separate criminal matter through the appropriate judicial channel. The Force added that any officer ultimately found culpable would face appropriate sanctions, but warned that allegations found to have been deliberately fabricated to damage an officer’s or the institution’s reputation could themselves invite legal consequences.
“The Nigeria Police Force remains an institution founded on law, discipline and accountability. No officer is above the law, and no genuine complaint is ignored; nor will any officer be sanctioned outside the procedures the law prescribes,” the statement concluded.
