The Plateau State Police Command has denied involvement in the investigation of the alleged theft of N180 million from the Martins Vincent Otse Initiative, a non-governmental organization founded by social activist VeryDarkMan.
Speaking on the issue, Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Alabo Alfred, explained that the case was neither reported to their command nor occurred within their jurisdiction.
“The matter is not reported to us. We are not the ones handling the matter because the crime was not committed within our jurisdiction,” Alfred stated. “If he said he is coming to Jos, that does not mean that we are the ones handling the case.”
VeryDarkMan had previously revealed that hackers had stolen N180 million from his NGO’s account, adding that one suspect had been arrested and that he was heading to Jos to recover the stolen funds.
However, Alfred clarified that the alleged crime took place in Abuja, not Plateau State. He further noted, “The crime happened in Abuja. So, he is not coming to Jos to report an incident that did not happen within our jurisdiction. If he reported the case at the Force CID level, it is the Force PRO who can speak about it. If he reported the case at the FCT Command level, it would be a different thing. Of course, the Force PPRO can talk about it as well. If he can get police officers from where he reported the case, they can all come together to Jos and do their investigation. After that, they can report back to where they came from and continue from there. But we can’t talk on a matter that did not happen within our jurisdiction.”
The Martins Vincent Otse Initiative, launched in October, aims to address educational challenges in Nigeria. It has received significant donations, including N100 million from renowned music producer Don Jazzy.
The hacking incident has highlighted concerns about the security of NGOs’ financial systems and the urgent need for improved measures against cyber threats.
Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command also distanced itself from the matter. Its spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, clarified, “The FCT Police Command is not aware of any case involving VDM’s missing funds and is not conducting any investigation into it. The individual in question should be contacted to clarify where the matter was reported, as there is no record of such a case with the FCT Police Command.”
The case remains unresolved as questions linger about where the investigation is being conducted and how the stolen funds will be recovered.
