End Phone Search Extortion! Adejobi Calls For Public Action Against Rogue Policemen

The Force has prohibited its personnel from conducting unauthorized phone searches, a ban reinforced by strict warnings from the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. However, despite these measures, some officers continue the practice.

In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), a user, Silva Nimi, questioned Adejobi about the persistent phone searches. The user wrote, “Bro, why are your men after young boys in the street? What did we do wrong? What is in our phones that they keep searching for all the time?”

Responding, Adejobi condemned the practice as unprofessional and reiterated its illegality, emphasizing that routine patrol officers have no right to inspect citizens’ phones unless they are linked to a specific case.

He expressed frustration over the reluctance of some victims to cooperate in holding erring officers accountable, saying, “Let’s make an example out of at least one offender. Phone searches on the road, unless tied to evidence in a case, are unprofessional and unacceptable. Despite our efforts, some officers remain defiant, and we need the public’s support to expose them.”

Adejobi also noted that victims often fail to follow through with official complaints, with some even pleading for leniency for the accused officers. He urged Nigerians to take a firm stand and report misconduct to help the Force address the issue effectively.

“Many victims go online to complain but fail to cooperate when we take up their cases. This behavior enables officers to act with impunity. We need to address this head-on by exposing the bad ones,” Adejobi added.