The Nigeria Police Force has strongly condemned the unauthorized use of its official uniform and insignia by online personality Martins Otse, popularly known as “VeryDarkMan” (VDM), in a video posted on his social media platforms.
In the viral video, VDM was seen wearing a police uniform, introducing himself as “CSP VeryDarkMan” and claiming to be Nigeria’s leading online police. He stated that his mission is to “sanitize” social media by exposing alleged oppressors, particularly among online vendors. Unlike official police procedures, he claimed he would directly damage the reputation of those found guilty with evidence presented on his platform.
The Force, in a statement released on Saturday, confirmed it has launched an investigation into the video.
“The Force unequivocally disassociates itself from this unauthorized portrayal and has initiated a full investigation to determine the source of the police gear used, as well as the authority under which he acted,” the statement read.
The police reminded the public that unauthorized use of police uniforms, badges, or insignia constitutes a criminal offense under Section 251 of the Criminal Code Law and Section 133 of the Penal Code Law, with significant penalties attached.
While recognizing the creative contributions of young Nigerians in content creation, the Force issued a strong warning against the misuse of police uniforms or symbols, emphasizing that such actions undermine the integrity and values of the Force and will not be tolerated.