…….Police Integrity Organization member accuses influencer of manipulating court judgment, challenges him to produce evidence
Member of the Police Integrity Organization, Ijele, has accused social media influencer VeryDarkMan of manipulating the narrative surrounding the controversy involving AIG Moshood, insisting that the influencer has no substantive case against the senior police officer.
Speaking at a press briefing, Ijele said the organisation became involved in the matter after the controversy surrounding the Ajah killings and subsequent police investigation attracted widespread attention. He said the group’s interest was to establish whether the police had abused their powers or acted outside the law.
Ijele, however, said its assessment showed that the police acted within the confines of the law, accusing VeryDarkMan of relying on information from one side and presenting it to the public as established fact.
“VeryDarkMan lies. He is a manipulator, and he twists this to suit his narrative,” Ijele said, challenging the influencer to produce evidence for the claims he has made against the police.
He particularly took issue with VeryDarkMan’s interpretation of a recent court judgment concerning the police, saying the influencer focused on the portion directing the police not to harass, intimidate or arrest the applicant except in accordance with due process, while failing to properly explain the wider circumstances of the case.
According to Ijele, the order did not amount to an exoneration on the substantive allegations. He said the court’s decision must be understood within the context of the ongoing judicial process, stressing that “the law is not selective.”
Ijele also disclosed that the Nigeria Police Force had commenced an appeal against the relevant aspect of the judgment. He said the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, directed the Force’s legal department to challenge the decision, adding that a notice of appeal had been served.
Defending AIG Moshood, Ijele said the officer did not act independently in the matter but was carrying out an official directive from the then Inspector-General of Police. According to him, the petition was referred to AIG Moshood with instructions to take over the investigation and submit a report.
He added that after AIG Moshood left the position, the current Inspector-General directed the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to take over and continue the investigation, insisting that the actions of the senior officer must therefore be viewed within the context of the official directives issued to him.
On the Ajah killings, Ijele said the investigation followed a petition concerning the deaths of two men in the community. He said the petition identified individuals who were suspected of involvement and was subsequently referred for investigation by the Inspector-General of Police.
Ijele claimed that the investigation led to arrests and statements from suspects, which he said contained accounts of how the killings were allegedly carried out and the individuals said to be involved. He stressed that the claims remained subject to the judicial process.
He also questioned VeryDarkMan’s decision to focus on one aspect of the case while, according to him, ignoring evidence and proceedings that could provide a fuller picture.
“Social media is not the court of law,” Ijele said, urging anyone with evidence against the police or any individual officer to present it before the appropriate authorities.
He further took exception to statements attributed to VeryDarkMan concerning alleged police involvement in murder, arguing that such a serious claim should not be made without evidence.
“When you say Nigeria Police planned murder, it is not an allegation. It is an affirmative statement,” Ijele said, challenging VeryDarkMan to substantiate the claim.
Ijele also said the police had extended invitations to VeryDarkMan in Lagos and Abuja, arguing that if he possessed evidence of wrongdoing, he should appear before the relevant authorities and present it.
Rather than continuing the dispute solely on social media, Ijele challenged the influencer to an open debate, saying he had accepted VeryDarkMan’s earlier challenge and remained prepared to confront him publicly.
“I am ready for the debate. Bring your evidence. Let us speak to Nigerians,” he said.
He said the proposed debate would provide an opportunity for both sides to present their evidence and arguments before the public, rather than allowing one-sided claims to dominate the discussion.
Ijele maintained that his criticism was not aimed at silencing VeryDarkMan, but at what he described as the manipulation of facts and selective presentation of information. He urged Nigerians to allow the courts and investigative authorities to determine the substantive issues in the case.
He also called for equal standards of accountability, saying that while police officers must be held responsible when they violate the law, activists and social media influencers must equally be prepared to substantiate serious accusations made against individuals and institutions.
According to him, the controversy should ultimately be resolved through evidence, investigation and due process, rather than social media pressure or public sentiment.
