The Plateau State Police Command has warned its personnel against unlawfully demanding to search the mobile phones of members of the public, stressing that such actions are not permitted without a court warrant.
The Commissioner of Police, Bassey Ewah, issued the warning while addressing officers of the command in Jos, according to a statement released on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Alfred Alabo.
Alabo quoted the commissioner as saying that no police officer has the legal authority to search a citizen’s mobile phone on the road without a court warrant.
“No personnel of this command has the legal authority to search the mobile phone of any citizen on the road without a court warrant,” Ewah said.
The police commissioner reiterated the command’s commitment to professionalism and cautioned officers against engaging in unprofessional conduct.
He also advised residents to politely refuse any unlawful request by police personnel to search their mobile phones and report such incidents to the nearest police station.
Alabo urged members of the public to report cases of harassment through the command’s dedicated telephone lines.
He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting the lives, property and rights of law-abiding residents in line with global best practices.
