The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has strongly condemned the unauthorised use of its official uniform by popular blogger and activist Martins Otse, known online as VeryDarkMan (VDM), News About Nigeria reports.
In a viral video posted on social media, VDM introduced himself as “CSP VeryDarkMan” and claimed to be Nigeria’s top “online police,” pledging to use his platform to expose social media wrongdoers, especially fraudulent online vendors.
In the video, VDM vowed to bypass standard protocols in order to publicly shame those reported to him, as long as there is evidence of their misconduct.
This portrayal, however, has sparked a backlash from the NPF.
Responding in a statement on Saturday, October 26, 2024, the police announced an investigation into the video and the origin of the police uniform and symbols used by VDM.
“The Force unequivocally disassociates itself from this unauthorised portrayal and has launched a full investigation to determine the source of the police gear used, as well as the authority under which he acted,” the statement read.
“It is important to remind the public that the unauthorised use of police uniforms, insignia, or accoutrements constitutes a criminal offence, as stipulated in Section 251 of the Criminal Code Law and Section 133 of the Penal Code Law, and is subject to strict penalties.”
The police also reminded the public that using police uniforms, insignia, or symbols without authorisation is a criminal offence under Section 251 of the Criminal Code Law and Section 133 of the Penal Code Law, both carrying strict penalties.
While the NPF acknowledged and encouraged creativity among young Nigerian content creators, it emphasised that the misuse of police regalia undermines the integrity of the Force and will not be tolerated.
