Officers on Stop-and-Search Must Be in Uniform – Police

The Nigeria Police Force has declared that officers on stop-and-search duties must be in uniform with their names clearly attached.

The Force Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, stated this in a post on his X handle on Monday, while reacting to a video in which four policemen in mufti stopped a driver on Lekki-Epe Express Way.

The officers had approached the man to ask for his tinted permit, but he replied by asking for their identities, saying there was nothing to indicate they were policemen.

But, Adejobi, in his response said the policemen “have been traced to Zone 2 and identified,” adding that “the AIG Zone 2 Lagos is investigating, while the PPRO Zone 2 will speak to it as soon as possible.”

Speaking further, Adejobi said the NPF had ordered that any policeman embarking on routine patrol or stop-and-search must be in uniform, properly dressed, and easily identified.

He maintained that it is not ideal to be on patrol while in mufti, saying policemen misbehave when they know their identities are hidden and unknown.

The Punch