ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Plateau State Police Command has directed its officers to stop demanding or searching the mobile phones of members of the public without lawful authorisation, warning that such actions violate citizens’ rights.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Bassey Ewah, issued the directive while addressing officers and men of the command, reaffirming the force’s commitment to professionalism and respect for the rule of law.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo, disclosed the directive in a statement issued on Thursday in Jos.
According to the statement, the police commissioner reminded personnel that no officer has the legal authority to search a citizen’s mobile phone on the road without a valid court warrant.
READ ALSO Democracy Day: Police Warn Against Planned Demonstration
Ewah cautioned officers against acts of harassment and other forms of unprofessional conduct capable of eroding public confidence in the police.
He also advised residents not to submit to unlawful phone searches and urged anyone confronted with such demands to politely decline and report the incident to the nearest police station.
To encourage accountability, the commissioner asked members of the public to report cases of harassment or misconduct through the command’s emergency lines: 08034448617, 08060545670, 08037681026, 09016146804, and 09051145757.
The command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the lives, property and constitutional rights of law-abiding residents while ensuring that policing in the state aligns with established legal standards and international best practices.