Don’t Give Your Phones To The Police If They Stop You, What You Must Know About Your Right

Don’t Give Your Phones To The Police If They Stop You, What You Must Know About Your Right

The unnecessary harassment of Youths by the Police and SARS officials have caused so much suffering. Many Nigerian youths have now been termed as scammers or “yahoo boys” as they mainly call it. Without taking too much of our time, I would like to put us through to what we need to do when we get encountered by the police officials .

Firstly, most police officials are naturally good at reading movements and reactions of people when they stop them. Let us not get some things wrong, the police officer has every right to conduct a stop and search. When stopped on the road, the officer has the right to ask you series of questions which must be answered satisfactory. Once you know fully well that you answered all questions asked by the officer, if asked to release your phone, You have the right to request of the officer’s name and also tell him that what he is doing is unlawful.

Every Nigerian citizen has the right to their privacy and your phone is also your privacy. If after saying these the officer still decides to conduct the search on your phone, you now have every right to tell him that you would be suing them for unlawful search and harassment.

Lastly, the Police have every right to search your phones and laptops. This can only be conducted if the Police already received an issued search warrant on you, but if they didn’t get any search warrant against you, this search is said to be an illegal one which you have every right to sue them. Need I like to remind every youth not to in any way rudely speak with an officer of the law at any point in time. Be as calm as possible and answer any questions that needs asking.