AIG Jimoh vs VeryDarkMan: Police Reaffirms Commitment to Due Process in Ajiran Murder Case

By Raheem Ibrahim

The Nigeria Police Force has reaffirmed its position that the criminal case involving Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone 2, Lagos, Moshood Olohundare Jimoh, concerning allegations surrounding the Ajiran murders, remains before a court of competent jurisdiction and must be allowed to run its full judicial course, free from media trials or public pressure.

The Force made its position known in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Ani Iniedu, in response to weeks of public commentary by social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), against AIG Jimoh over the matter.

According to the statement, the criminal case referenced in the public commentary was investigated by the police and is now before the court, following advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

It said that, being sub judice, adjudication of the matter rested solely with the judiciary, adding that the Force would neither try the case in the media nor allow its outcome to be shaped by public campaigns designed to prejudge the officers or parties involved.

Breaking his silence on the allegations for the first time, AIG Jimoh, penultimate week, said he would not join issues with his accuser on social media over a matter already pending in court. He advised anyone in possession of evidence of professional misconduct or corruption against him to channel such evidence to the court rather than through public commentary.

The police disclosed that, separately from the court case, the AIG in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) had invited AIG Jimoh for questioning in connection with the allegations raised against him, in line with the Force’s internal accountability mechanisms.

It further stated that the FCID, Abuja, had, on July 30, formally issued a letter of invitation to Otse, directing him to appear at its Abuja office to substantiate claims he had made in the public domain.

The statement said the steps taken reflected the Force’s commitment to investigating credible allegations of misconduct, irrespective of the rank of the officer involved or the public profile of the complainant, through established channels, including the Force Criminal Investigation Department, the Force Complaint Response Unit and, where applicable, the Office of the Inspector General of Police.

CSP Iniedu explained that discipline within the Force was governed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Police Act 2020, Police Regulations, Force Orders and other administrative procedures, which applied uniformly to officers at every rank.

While affirming the constitutional right of Nigerians to freedom of expression and to demand accountability from public institutions, the Force maintained that such freedom did not extend to defamation or the amplification of unsubstantiated allegations as a means of compelling disciplinary outcomes outside due process.

“Allegations must be formally submitted, investigated and objectively assessed. Any officer found culpable following investigation will face sanctions in accordance with the law,” the statement read, adding that where allegations were established to be false and calculated to damage the reputation of an officer or the institution, the Force reserved the right to pursue appropriate legal remedies.

The Force urged Otse to honour the FCID invitation, engage with the ongoing administrative review in good faith and allow the judicial process governing the separate criminal matter to run its course.

It noted that grievances against officers were best resolved through established complaint and oversight mechanisms rather than public campaigns.

“The Nigeria Police Force remains an institution founded on law, discipline and accountability. No officer is above the law, and no genuine complaint is ignored, nor will any officer be sanctioned outside the procedures the law prescribes,” the statement added, reaffirming the Force’s commitment to professionalism, transparency and the impartial administration of justice.