The Nigerian Police Force, NPF, has reacted to social media comments on why photo of suspects who were paraded for different crimes, shared in its handles were edited.
NPF, in its response warned the general public to disregard comments by many social media users that the image was photoshopped.
It should be recall that social media was buzzing today following a photo of suspected gunrunners shared by the NPF twitter handle. It raised so much dust, as many were questioning the authenticity of the photo.
One of the commentators, Stephanie Hegarty, BBC correspondent opined that the image was clearly photoshopped. She pointed out some facts which made her believe that the photo was edited.
She said; “Nigerian Police have tweeted a picture with clear signs of having been photoshopped – claiming to show two suspects with arms haul. See drastic colour differences, white background under mans arm, lack of reflection, blur around the weapons… Tweet has been up for 7hrs now.
Nigerian Police have tweeted a picture with clear signs of having been photoshopped – claiming to show two suspects with arms haul. See drastic colour differences, white background under mans arm, lack of reflection, blur around the weapons… Tweet has been up for 7hrs now. pic.twitter.com/3WI4hw1IKm
— Stephanie Hegarty (@stephhegarty) December 1, 2020
Reacting to the call out by Nigerians, Police through a statement signed by the Force PRO, Frank Mbah, said “there was absolutely no misrepresentation or any intention whatsoever to deceive members of the public by sharing the edited photo”.
The full statement reads;
“The attention of Police 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.
“The Force wishes to state categorically that there was absolutely no misrepresentation or any intention whatsoever to deceive members of the public.
“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 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.
“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.
“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, 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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
