The Nigeria Police Force has condemned the unlawful use of its uniform and insignia by social media personality Martins Otse, commonly known as VeryDarkMan.
The police claimed they have initiated a complete inquiry to find out where VeryDarkMan got the uniform and insignia he wore in one of his videos.
In the video, the influencer was shown wearing full police regalia and accoutrements, presenting himself as social media police rather than an activist.
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The police condemned the influencer’s action on Saturday, claiming it violated Sections 251 of the Criminal Code Law and 133 of the Penal Code Law.
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According to the statement on police’s official X page: “The Nigeria Police Force strongly condemns the unauthorized use of official uniforms and accoutrements by an online personality, Mr. Martins Otse, popularly known as “VDM,” in a video posted on his social media platforms.
“The Force unequivocally disassociates itself from this unauthorized 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.
“It is important to remind the public that the unauthorized use of Police uniforms, insignia, or accoutrements constitutes a criminal offense, as stipulated in Section 251 of the Criminal Code Law and Section 133 of the Penal Code Law, and is subject to strict penalties.
“While the Nigeria Police Force recognizes and supports the creativity of young Nigerians in the content creation space, we strongly caution against the misuse of Police uniforms or symbols. Unauthorized use of these items undermines the values and integrity of the Force and will not be tolerated.”
