Representatives of the Nigerian Navy and Army have strongly rejected sweeping allegations made against the military by social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as Verydarkblackman (VDM), at the 2026 Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt.
The Director of Legal Services of the Nigerian Navy, G.I.O. Ukpung, said it was unfair to make broad allegations against the entire military without evidence, arguing that saying all military personnel are corrupt is like saying all lawyers are corrupt.
She stressed that military personnel are daily risking and losing their lives to protect Nigerians, calling on anyone with credible allegations against military personnel to present evidence to the appropriate authorities for investigation.
Also speaking, Colonel G.C. O’Heary said the military does not deny that some personnel may engage in wrongdoing but insisted that the actions of a few should not be used to condemn the entire institution.
He disclosed that some senior officers are facing court-martial proceedings and said the military has mechanisms for investigating allegations of indiscipline and criminality.
Responding to claims that military personnel are mainly seen on the roads instead of the battlefront, the colonel said soldiers are actively fighting and dying in conflict zones, including Sambisa. He cited a soldier who was injured by an improvised explosive device two weeks after deployment and mentioned senior officers who lost their lives on the frontline.
The message from the military representatives was clear: provide evidence for allegations, put them before the appropriate authorities, and do not use the wrongdoing of a few to condemn the entire Nigerian military.