Activist Accuses Security Agencies of Shielding Criminals

At the 2026 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, social media activist Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), accused Nigeria's security agencies of being aware of the identities and locations of kidnappers and violent attackers but failing to take action against them. He challenged the term "unknown gunmen," asserting that personnel from the military, Immigration, and Customs are among those responsible for the insecurity.

Otse criticized the effectiveness of police checkpoints, particularly on the Lagos-Abuja route, alleging that some officers could identify potential kidnapping victims based on their vehicles. He highlighted that insecurity now affects the judiciary, referencing the kidnapping of a judge in Kebbi State on July 26.

Otse shared his firsthand experiences of violence and criticized the media for inadequate coverage of violent incidents. He emphasized that his presence at the conference was to share experiences rather than teach legal principles.