Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), has issued an order prohibiting arbitrary arrests, harassment of youths, and mobile phone searches by police officers throughout the country.
The decision comes in response to growing concerns over police misbehavior, notably following recent statements by UK opposition leader Kemi Badenoch on police atrocities in Nigeria.
According to The Nation, the instruction was delivered to all state police commanders, underlining the need to reduce human rights infractions and rebuild the Nigeria Police Force’s credibility.
The statement, signed by the Department of Operations at Force Headquarters, warned that erring personnel and their supervisors would suffer grave consequences if the illegal actions continued.
The memo, which has been circulating on social media and was seen by The Nation, also referred to the 2020 #EndSARS protests as a clear reminder of the consequences of police brutality.
The protests, sparked by widespread grievances about police brutality, caused enormous destruction, loss of life, and a catastrophic erosion of public trust in law enforcement.
The message, headlined “Order and Directives: Arbitrary Arrest and Detention,” stated that youth harassment, phone confiscation, and unjustified checkpoint detentions must end immediately.
It further said that command commissioners and supervisors would be held accountable for any transgressions, with monitoring units established up to enforce compliance.
This development comes only days after UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch publically accused Nigerian police of corruption and stealing from residents with their guns.
Badenoch claimed that officers seized her brother’s shoe and wristwatch, reigniting debate over law enforcement wrongdoing in Nigeria.