‘No Police Officer Has the Right to Search Your Phone’ — FCT Police Commissioner Warns Nigerians

• The FCT Police Commissioner, Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, has warned Nigerians not to allow police officers to search their mobile phones

The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, has advised Nigerians, particularly young people, not to allow police officers to search their mobile phones, stressing that officers have no legal authority to carry out indiscriminate phone searches.

Sanusi gave the warning during an engagement with youths in Abuja, where he acknowledged that some police personnel have abused the practice to harass and extort members of the public.

According to the police commissioner, the directive became necessary because of the misconduct of some officers whose actions have damaged public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force.

“Don’t allow any police officer to search your phone and we’re saying this due to the abuse and extortive tendencies of some of our officers. No police officer has the right to search your phone,” Sanusi said.

He urged residents to politely refuse any unlawful request by police officers to search their phones and encouraged victims of harassment, extortion or other forms of misconduct to report such incidents to the nearest police station or through the FCT Police Command’s official complaint channels.

Sanusi reaffirmed the command’s commitment to professionalism and warned officers against engaging in unprofessional conduct capable of eroding public trust.

The police commissioner’s remarks come as the FCT Police Command intensifies efforts to address misconduct within its ranks.

Earlier this week, the command commenced an orderly room trial of four police officers accused of abandoning their official duties, engaging in unauthorised traffic enforcement and allegedly extorting a motorist in Abuja. The disciplinary proceedings followed the arrest of the officers over the alleged incident.

The latest warning also comes amid growing complaints from Nigerians, especially young people, over unlawful phone searches and extortion by some police officers during stop-and-search operations.