The Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ahmed Sanusi, has advised residents, particularly young people, not to allow police officers to search their mobile phones during stop-and-search operations, stressing that such actions contravene the directive of the Inspector-General of Police.
Sanusi gave the warning during a press briefing aired by News Central Television on Tuesday, where he reiterated that police personnel are prohibited from randomly demanding access to citizens’ mobile devices.
According to the police commissioner, the Inspector-General of Police introduced the directive to curb abuses, extortion and other misconduct associated with indiscriminate phone searches by some security personnel.
“The issue of phone searching has been clearly stated. Due to the abuse and extortion tendencies of some officers and men, not only of the Police but even other sister agencies, it has been instructed that nobody should search any phone,” he said.
Sanusi, however, clarified that mobile phones could still be examined during criminal investigations, but only after a suspect had been lawfully arrested and taken to a police station.
He explained that officers investigating a criminal offence may inspect a phone where it is believed to contain evidence relevant to an ongoing investigation.
“This does not negate the fact that phones are also being used to commit crime. But before such a thing can happen, the person must have committed the crime, must have been properly arrested and brought to the station. Then, when trying to uncover some evidence, you can now start searching to see whether the phone or other items have been used to commit or perpetrate such crime,” he stated.
The commissioner maintained that no police officer has the authority to stop members of the public on the roadside and demand to inspect their phones simply because they suspect them of internet fraud or any other offence.
“But for you to just stop anybody on the road and say, ‘Bring your phone, let me search.’ Or, ‘You have so and so amount on your phone’—any policeman who stops you on the road, according to the instructions of the Inspector-General of Police, we are bound to obey to the last of it. Don’t agree. Don’t open your phones. Resist,” Sanusi said.
He advised residents confronted by officers requesting access to their phones to immediately seek assistance by contacting the police emergency line or nearby police personnel.
“Ask the nearby people to help you call the police emergency landline. You will see our men there, and then we will ask them why, provided they are within the FCT. If they are outside the FCT, then you will call your Command CP,” he said.
Sanusi reaffirmed that the FCT Police Command remains committed to enforcing the Inspector-General’s directive and ensuring that officers who violate it are disciplined.
According to him, some officers involved in illegal phone searches are motivated by criminal intentions and use the practice as a means of extorting members of the public.
“So I can tell you for free that we are still against that. We still stand against that. We will still enforce the IG’s directive. Some of them are on the attack because they are criminally minded. They want to perpetuate such acts. If we get them, they will face disciplinary actions and will be made to face the consequences,” he added.
The police commissioner urged residents to remain aware of their rights and promptly report any officer who attempts to violate the directive during stop-and-search operations.
