He noted that if the police were on an investigation, they would present a warrant and then demand for the phone.
Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Bassey Ewah, on Wednesday warned Nigerians not to give any policeman who stopped them at the checkpoint their phones without a warrant.
He noted that if the police were on an investigation, they would present a warrant and then demand for the phone.
Ewah disclosed this while answering questions during a programme organised by the Police Community Relation Committee in Lagos State.
“I am stand to be corrected; please do not give any police man who stopped you on the checkpoint your phones; it’s not our schedule. If we are investigating you, we will present a warrant and then demand for your phone. Please take note,” he said.
The police boss also spoke on the Federal Government’s signal that stops any tinted vehicle that arrives in the country to be touched by police.
Ewah said, “Tell your associates and friends on the street, if you present your papers and they (the policemen) say they are not okay; just tell them, police take me to your Divisional Police Officer. There is no point arguing with them because the man is deaf.”
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In 2019, the Nigerian police had issued some tips to Nigerians on how to avoid clashes with officers at a police checkpoint.
The tips came after the reported killing and brutality of citizens by police officers.
The police gave the tips via their verified Twitter handle, @PoliceNG, in May, urging Nigerians to avoid an unnecessary argument or challenging armed personnel on duty.
They advised Nigerians to avoid giving an unhappy impression when encountering an officer on their beat.
It was earlier reported that, Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered police officers to stop checking citizens’ phones.
For years, operatives had insisted on searching phones of Nigerians youths at checkpoints or any location.
During such encounters at roadblocks or patrols, policemen, in most cases, forcefully snatch phones belonging to innocent citizens.
They search through e-mails, text messages, as well as chats on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
The victim is then “billed” an amount to secure the release of the gadget. Any claim of right or refusal to pay could lead to severe beating, seizure of the phone – or both.
A number of Nigerians have also complained of how police teams forced them to log into their bank accounts to view the balance.
But Adamu, at a press briefing on Wednesday, announced that such an era is gone.
“The issue of any Police unit going to look into people’s phones, which is supposed to be their private property, or looking at the type of vehicle they‘re using, or profiling them to see whether they‘re yahoo boys or not. That era is gone. It is not acceptable”, the IGP said.
"The issue of ANY Police Unit going to look into people's phones, which is supposed to be their private property, or looking at the type of vehicle they‘re using, or profiling them to see whether they‘re yahoo boys or not—that era is gone. It is not acceptable!” —IG of @PoliceNG pic.twitter.com/7uOcuiS2H8
— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) October 14, 2020
