Controversial social media influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as Very Dark Man, VDM, has defended the Nigerian Police Force amidst the Nationwide Hardship Protest in the country.
He said the police officers were merely following orders given by superior authorities, adding that their hands were tied.
VDM refuted the circulating rumours that protesters were sponsored, clarifying that the primary reasons for the protests were the increases in fuel prices and widespread hunger.
The social media activist, who called out the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyemson Wike in one of his videos, gave reasons for doing so.
The media influencer said that during the protest, a police officer pulled him aside and requested that he and the other protesters leave the area and proceed to the National Stadium in Abuja.
He said that when he inquired about the directive, the policeman informed him they were merely following orders, prompting him to insist on verifying the information.
According to VDM, Wike instructed the police and other security agencies to confine the protests in Abuja to the National Stadium.
VDM further revealed that the police later fired tear gas, forcing them to run to the stadium, saying that throughout the ordeal, he kept calling out Wike’s name.
Despite being tear-gassed, Very Dark Man defended the police, emphasising that they were following orders and had no choice in the matter.
The controversial media critic opined that if the government had invested the money used to purchase tear gas into improving the country, citizens would not be protesting.
He expressed his displeasure with the treatment meted out to them, emphasizing that they were not animals and deserved more respect.
VDM urged President Bola Tinubu to reduce fuel prices, stating that if the price were cut by 50%, he would not protest and would encourage others to stay home as well.
