Searching Phones Without Court Warrant Unlawful, Police Warn Officers

The Police Command in Plateau State has warned its personnel against unlawfully demanding and searching citizens’ mobile phones.

The Commissioner of Police (CP) in the State, Bassey Ewah, issued the warning while addressing its personnel in Jos.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, Alfred Alabo, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

“No personnel of this command has the legal authority to search mobile phone of any citizen on the road without a court warrant,” Alabo quoted Ewah as saying.

The PPRO said that the commissioner, who reiterated the command’s commitment to professionalism, warned personnel against unprofessional conduct.

He added that the commissioner advised residents to politely decline any unlawful attempt by personnel to search their phones and report the incident to the nearest police station.

Alabo also advised residents of the State to report any incident of harassment through the following phone numbers: 08034448617, 08060545670, 08037681026, 09016146804, and 09051145757.

The PPRO further reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting the lives, property and rights of law abiding residents in line with global best practices.

NAN