Lagos Police Ban Phone Searches on the Road
Lagos Police Ban Phone Searches on the Road
Lagos State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has doubled down on his directive: _no police officer may search a resident’s phone while on patrol_.
Speaking at a recent public event, he said plainly, “No policeman should search your phone on the road… I stand by that order.”
Yet, many Lagosians say the rule is more honoured in the breach than in practice. Officers on the beat still pull phones, and some have turned the request into a cash‑grab.
One X user recounted being forced to hand over N50,000 after officers demanded to flip through his device, then accused him of hiding “incriminating apps” even after finding nothing.
The CP’s stance echoes earlier statements from his predecessor, CP Fayoade Adegoke, who warned that phones can only be examined at a station by the cyber unit, not on the street Residents are calling for better enforcement, noting that issuing orders is easy—getting officers to obey is the real challenge.
