Odita Sunday 
False Allegations Against AIG Jimoh Olohundare Reflect Growing Concern Over Social Media Trials
The controversy surrounding allegations linking Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Jimoh Moshood Olohundare to alleged land grabbing in Lagos State has sparked fresh debate over the growing use of social media as a platform for unverified accusations and public trials.
In this opinion, Danjuma Lamido argues that claims made by social media influencer Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), are unfounded and amount to an attempt to damage the reputation of a senior police officer with what he describes as an unblemished service record.
According to the writer, AIG Jimoh, who previously served as Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, could lawfully acquire land through official government channels, making allegations of land grabbing both illogical and inconsistent with his public record.
Lamido contends that the allegations form part of what appears to be a coordinated smear campaign orchestrated by individuals seeking to settle personal disputes through social media rather than established legal processes.
He further alleges that the influencer relied on information provided by interested parties, including Ahmed Tajudeen Akanbi, without adequate verification.
The opinion also raises concerns over claims that confidential police documents may have been leaked from the Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to external actors. If established, the writer says such actions would constitute a serious breach of ethics, operational security and official confidentiality.
He therefore called on the Nigeria Police Force to investigate both the authenticity of the documents circulated online and any possible involvement of serving officers in leaking sensitive records. Any personnel found culpable, he argued, should face disciplinary and legal sanctions.
While acknowledging that freedom of expression is constitutionally protected, Lamido maintained that such rights should not be used to justify defamation, cyberstalking or the dissemination of false information capable of destroying reputations.
He further urged the police authorities to invite VeryDarkMan to explain the publications and, where evidence exists, investigate any offences that may have arisen from the alleged circulation of defamatory content, insisting that due process must guide any such investigation.
The writer concluded that protecting the integrity of police officers is essential to sustaining public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force, stressing that malicious attacks against senior officers ultimately undermine the credibility of the institution itself.
About the Author
