The Police Integrity Organisation (PIO) has challenged social media activist, Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, to an open debate over his allegations against the Nigeria Police Force.
The PIO is an independent civic stakeholder group, which aims to highlight the positive actions and good conduct of exemplary police officers while addressing accountability, transparency, and broader institutional reforms within the Nigeria Police Force.
Mr Isaiah David-Ijele, the convener of the group issued the challenge on Wednesday in Abuja, at a press conference organised to address the ongoing controversy between the police and the activist.
The conference was tagged “Setting The Record Straight on the Nigerian Police vs VeryDarkMan Ongoing Nuisance”.
David-Ijele said the organisation was prepared to debate VeryDarkMan on the issues and provide documents and evidence supporting its position.
He alleged that the activist had misrepresented aspects of a recent Federal High Court judgment involving the police and Ahmed Tajudeen.
According to him, the court’s order restraining the police from harassing, intimidating or arresting Tajudeen is subject to compliance with due process of law.
He said the judgment should not be interpreted as a complete exoneration of the substantive allegations involved in the case.
“The court only passed a judgement on his fundamental human right,” David-Ijele said,
He added that the police had commenced the process of appealing the relevant aspect of the judgment.
He also questioned why VeryDarkMan had not responded to invitations extended to him by the police in Lagos and Abuja to provide evidence relating to his allegations.
David-Ijele urged the activist to appear before the appropriate authorities and present his evidence rather than relying on social media to address issues involving the police and ongoing legal proceedings.
He challenged VeryDarkMan to an open debate, saying he was ready to present documents obtained from the court to support the organisation’s position.
He said the organisation’s intervention was aimed at correcting what it considered misinformation surrounding the dispute and encouraging Nigerians to allow the legal process to take its course.
Similarly another executive member of the group, Mr Unekwu Ocheje, accused VeryDarkMan of relying on information from one source in his assessment of the police and the former Lagos Commissioner of Police, now AIG Moshood Jimoh.
He said the activist should have sought information from both sides before presenting his position publicly.
He urged Nigerians to be cautious about accepting claims made on social media without independently verifying them.
Also speaking, Mr Sergent Mario, a social commentator and activist, said social media should not be treated as a substitute for the courts.
“Social media is not the court of law,” he said, urging people with evidence to present such evidence through the appropriate legal channels.
He advised VeryDarkMan to respond to police invitations and use the courts to establish his claims rather than engaging in prolonged exchanges on social media.
By Chinedu Anolue
