FCT Police Commissioner Ahmed Sanusi has warned Abuja residents against unauthorised police phone searches and urged them to seek help if stopped.
The Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory, Ahmed Sanusi, has cautioned residents of Abuja against allowing police officers to conduct unauthorised searches of their mobile phones during roadside stops.
Sanusi gave the warning on Monday, July 20, while speaking to journalists in Abuja, as he addressed concerns surrounding the conduct of some police personnel and the alleged abuse of stop-and-search operations.
The police commissioner urged residents who are confronted by officers demanding to inspect their phones without following due process to resist such demands and seek assistance from other members of the public.
He explained that police officers are not permitted to randomly stop people on the streets and demand access to their mobile devices simply because they suspect them of being involved in internet fraud or other criminal activities.
According to him, the directive is aimed at preventing situations where members of the public are subjected to harassment, intimidation or extortion under the guise of investigating alleged crimes.
Sanusi said the police leadership had made it clear that officers should not engage in arbitrary phone searches, particularly when they have merely stopped an individual on the road.
He noted that although mobile phones can sometimes be used in the planning or execution of criminal activities, this does not give officers the authority to randomly inspect the devices of innocent citizens.
The commissioner stressed that there must be a proper basis for searching a person’s phone, adding that law enforcement officers are expected to follow established procedures when investigating suspected criminal activity.
He said that where a person is suspected of committing an offence, the individual must first be properly arrested and taken to a police station before investigators can examine relevant evidence as part of a legitimate criminal investigation.
Sanusi explained that such a search could become necessary when investigators are trying to establish whether a mobile phone or another electronic device was used in connection with an alleged crime.
He said the situation is different from an officer stopping someone on the street and demanding that the person immediately hand over their phone for inspection.
The FCT police boss said such random demands are not permitted under the instructions issued by the Inspector-General of Police.
“Don’t allow any police officer to search your phone. We are saying this because of the abuse and extortive tendencies of some of our officers,” Sanusi said.
He added that officers had been instructed not to search the phones of people who were simply stopped on the road, particularly where the only reason for the action was a suspicion that the individual might be an internet fraudster.
The commissioner acknowledged that criminals sometimes use mobile phones as tools to facilitate unlawful activities.
However, he maintained that the existence of such criminal cases does not justify indiscriminate searches of people’s devices.
He said the police must establish a legitimate reason for the investigation and ensure that the suspect is properly handled in accordance with the law before searching a phone for possible evidence.
According to Sanusi, members of the public should also be aware of their rights and should not be afraid to seek help when they believe an officer is acting outside the scope of the law.
He specifically advised Abuja residents not to unlock or voluntarily surrender their phones when they are stopped by police officers on the road and asked to provide access to their devices without proper justification.
“If any policeman stops you on the road, according to the instructions of the Inspector-General of Police, which we are bound to obey to the last of it, don’t open your phone,” he said.
Sanusi further urged anyone who finds themselves in such a situation to call for assistance from people nearby and contact the police so that the matter can be properly addressed.
He said, “Resist and ask other people to help you call the police. You will see our men there.”
The warning is expected to draw attention to the need for police officers to conduct their duties within the boundaries of the law while also protecting the rights of members of the public.
It also highlights the distinction between a lawful investigation and an arbitrary search carried out without a clear legal basis.
While the police have a responsibility to investigate suspected crimes and gather evidence, Sanusi’s position is that officers must follow due process when dealing with mobile phones and other personal devices.
His remarks may also reassure residents who have expressed concerns about being stopped by security personnel and compelled to provide access to their private information.
The commissioner, however, made it clear that the directive should not be interpreted as a blanket restriction on the police from examining electronic devices in legitimate criminal investigations.
Rather, the emphasis is on ensuring that any search is connected to a genuine investigation and carried out after the appropriate procedures have been followed.
The statement comes at a time when concerns about police conduct during roadside checks and stop-and-search operations remain a subject of public discussion.
Sanusi’s directive therefore places responsibility on both police officers and residents to ensure that interactions during such encounters are handled lawfully and responsibly.
For residents of the FCT, the message from the police commissioner is clear: a random roadside stop does not automatically give an officer the right to demand access to a person’s mobile phone, and anyone who believes an officer is acting outside the law should seek assistance and report the incident through the appropriate channels.
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