The Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ahmed Sanusi, has advised residents, particularly young people, to refuse any request by police officers to search their mobile phones during stop-and-search operations, insisting the practice runs contrary to a directive from the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
Sanusi gave the advice during a press briefing aired by News Central Television on Tuesday.
He reiterated that police personnel are barred from randomly demanding access to citizens' mobile devices.
According to the commissioner, the IGP introduced the directive to curb abuse, extortion and other misconduct linked to 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 clarified, however, that mobile phones could still be examined during criminal investigations.
This, he stressed, is only permitted once a suspect has been lawfully arrested and taken to a police station.
He explained that officers investigating an offence may inspect a phone believed to hold evidence relevant to that 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.
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"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 officer has the authority to stop members of the public on the roadside and demand to inspect their phones simply on suspicion 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 demanding access to their phones to seek help immediately by contacting the police emergency line or nearby 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 directive, and to disciplining officers who breach it.
He said some officers involved in illegal phone searches were driven by criminal intent, using the practice to extort 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 commissioner urged residents to remain aware of their rights and to promptly report any officer who attempts to breach the directive during stop-and-search operations.
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