Nigerian Police Force have paraded some crime suspects during a media briefing to counter allegations of photoshopping pictures of suspects shared via its Twitter handle on Tuesday, December 1.
On Tuesday, NPF in its first Twitter post, shared a photo with the caption;
Photo News: Re-arrested inmates who escaped from lawful custody at Oko Correctional Centre, Benin City, Edo State during the ENDSARS protests. L-R: Peter Felix Osas, Onaruje Benjamin – convicted and was on death-row at the time of escape.
#PhotoNews: Re-arrested inmates who escaped from lawful custody at Oko Correctional Centre, Benin City, Edo State during the ENDSARS protests. L-R: Peter Felix Osas, Onaruje Benjamin – convicted and was on death-row at the time of escape, pic.twitter.com/IRnUrTTd6d
— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) December 1, 2020
The second post, shared few minutes later, was of two persons — Duleji Abubakar and Talatu Ibrahim — who allegedly had six AK-47 rifles in their possession.
#PhotoNews: L-R: Duleji Alhaji Abubakar a.k.a Ori jeje and Talatu Ibrahim from whom six (6) AK49 rifles were recovered. pic.twitter.com/hA9PnH0Fo8
— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) December 1, 2020
However, Nigerians were quick to detect that the both images used in the posts were photoshopped and called out the Police over this.
The four men captured in the first picture posed alongside what appeared to be false shadows, which might even be mistaken to be their ghosts.
Standing behind them were visibly white images, nearly the same height and shape as three of the men.
The second picture shows a man and woman standing behind a table upon which were placed guns, cartridges and bullets.
On a closer look, the items on the table appear to be almost suspended in the air in defiance of the law of gravity.
Close examination showed the images have been manipulated as both showed various inconsistencies with the original shots.
Further checks also revealed that the reflection of the female suspect does not appear in the window behind her, while a white background appears from nowhere beside the arm of her male counterpart.
The development prompted many Nigerians to question how many innocent people may be languishing in prisons and jails due to being falsely accused after photoshopped images have been used to incriminate them.
Reacting to this on Wednesday, the Force stated that there was absolutely no misrepresentation or any intention whatsoever to deceive members of the public.
According to police in a statement, the case involves one Talatu Ibrahim from whom six AK49 rifles were recovered and one other, Duleji Alhaji Abubakar who gets arms supply from her to carry out series of kidnapping and armed robbery in Kwara State.
It added that the pictures are authentic and true representation of the suspects and exhibits.
NPF stressed that the pictures were taken separately and merged into one screen for a seamless understanding of the storyline.
It expressed that the arms showcased in the picture were the exhibits recovered by Police operatives from the suspects.
Read the full statement below;
PHOTOS OF SUSPECTS SHARED ON NPF OFFICIAL HANDLES NOT FALSIFIED
The attention of @PoliceNG has been drawn to comments in the social media erroneously suggesting that the photos of the suspects shared on the Police handles on 1st December, 2020 were falsified. pic.twitter.com/MBGdkSqSHH
— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) December 2, 2020
The Force wishes to state categorically that there was absolutely no misrepresentation or any intention whatsoever to deceive members of the public.
— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) December 2, 2020
To set the record straight, in the case involving one Talatu Ibrahim, female, 40years old from Shinkafi LGA, Zamfara State from whom six (6) AK49 rifles were recovered and
— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) December 2, 2020
one other, Duleji Alhaji Abubakar a.k.a Ori jeje who gets arms supply from her to carry out series of kidnapping and armed robbery in Kwara State, the pictures are authentic and true representation of the suspects and exhibits.
— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) December 2, 2020
However, the pictures were taken separately and merged into one screen for seamless understanding of the story line. The arms showcased in the picture were the exhibits recovered by Police operatives from the suspects.
— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) December 2, 2020
Similarly, with respect to the photo of the re-arrested inmates who escaped from lawful custody at the Oko Correctional Centre, Benin City during the ENDSARS protests, … pic.twitter.com/QwLQV2w6cn
— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) December 2, 2020
one of the suspects, Alhaji Hudu Musa a.k.a Mai Cellular, had already been taken out for investigation purposes at the time the group picture was taken on 1st December, 2020, a day after the public parade of the suspects.
— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) December 2, 2020
His picture was therefore taken separately and merged with the three others in the group picture for presentation purpose and to enable readers and viewers have a one-stop glance of the suspects in the story for easy follow-up and understanding.
— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) December 2, 2020
It is imperative to state that editing photographs only becomes unethical or condemnable if the purpose is to create non-existing facts, misrepresent the facts or engage in outright falsification of the images or figures for purposes of deception or other ulterior goals.
— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) December 2, 2020
None of these was the case in the above two scenarios.
The Force therefore enjoins members of the public to discountenance reports and comments that the images were falsified. Kindly find attached videos of the parade of the suspects with pressmen in attendance on 30/11/2020.— Nigeria Police Force (@PoliceNG) December 2, 2020
