FCT Police Commissioner, Ahmed Sanusi. Photo: FCT Police Command
The Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Capital Territory, CP Ahmed Sanusi, has urged residents, particularly youths, not to allow police officers to search their mobile phones during stop-and-search operations, saying such actions violate the directive of the Inspector-General of Police.
Sanusi stated this during a press conference shared by News Central Television on Tuesday, where he reiterated that officers are prohibited from randomly searching the phones of members of the public.
“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.
The police commissioner explained that although mobile phones could serve as evidence in criminal investigations, they should only be examined after a suspect had been lawfully arrested and taken to a police station.
